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GRAND     DUCHESS    OF     HESSE 


PRINCESS 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  AND  LETTERS 


WITH  PORTRAIT 


NEW    YORK    &    LONDON 

P.    PUTNAM'S    SONS 
C^£  Jlnuktrboclur  ^nss 
1885 


Press  of 

G.  P.  PutnajH^s  Sons 

New  York 


gedtcated 

TO 

HIS  ROYAL  HIGHNESS 
THE  HEREDITARY  GRAND  DUKE 

AND   TO 

THEIR  GRAND  DUCAL  HIGHNESSES 

THE  PRINCESSES 

VICTORIA,  ELIZABETH,  IRENE,  ALIX 

OF   HESSE  AND   BY    RHINE 


CONTENTS. 


Preface.     By  Her  Royal  Highness  Princess  Chris- 
tian           ........  vii 

Childhood  and  Girlhood,  1843-62      .         .         .         .  11 

In  Her  New  Home,  1862-65. 

1862 31 

1863 49 

1864 71 

1865 88 

At  Home  and  at  Work,  1866-72. 

1866 123 

1867 168 

1868 199 

1869 216 

1870 235 

1871 266 

1872 284 

Trials,  1873-1877. 

1873 300 

1874 321 

187s 339 

1876  .........  348 

1877  ' 356 


VI  CONTENTS. 

The  End,  1878       .... 
Concluding  Remarks 


368 
383 


Appendix. 

A  Watcher  by  the  Dead 391 

A  Sketch  in  Memoriam,  December  14,  1878.     By 
Sir  Theodore  Martin,  K.(I;.B.         .         .         .         398 

Lines  in  Memoriam  ......     406 


PREFACE. 


THE  great  affection  with  which  my  dear  Sister 
has  ever  been  regarded  in  this  country,  and 
the  universal  feehng  of  sympathy  shown  at  the  time 
of  her  death,  lead  me  to  hope  that  the  publication  of 
this  volume  may  not  be  unwelcome,  containing  as  it 
does  extracts  from  her  letters  to  my  Mother,  togeth- 
er with  a  brief  record  of  her  married  life. 

The  short  Memoir  here  translated  from  the  Ger- 
man, with  which  the  letters  are  interwoven,  was 
written,  as  will  be  seen  at  a  glance,  not  as  present- 
ing any  thing  like  a  complete  picture  of  my  Sister's 
character  and  opinions,  but  merely  as  a  narrative  of 
such  of  the  incidents  of  her  life  as  were  necessary  to 
illustrate  and  explain  the  letters  themselves. 

In  these  days,  when  the  custom  has  become  gen- 
eral of  publishing  biographies  of  all  persons  of  note 
or  distinction,  it  was  thought  advisable,  in  order  that 
a  true  picture  might  be  given  of  my  Sister,  that  a 
short  sketch  of  her  life  should  be  prepared  by  some 
one  who  was  personally  known  to  her,  and  who 
appreciated  the  many  beautiful  features  of  her  char- 


VIU  FHINCESS  ALICE. 

acter.     The  choice  fell  upon  a  clergyman  at  Darm- 
stadt, Dr.  Sell. 

It  would  have  been  premature  and  out  of  place  to 
attempt  any  thing  like  a  complete  picture  of  a  char- 
acter so  many-sided,  or  of  my  Sister's  opinions  on 
the  affairs  of  Europe,  in  which  she  took  the  deepest 
interest,  and  on  which  she  formed  opinions  remark- 
able for  breadth  and  sagacity  of  view.  The  domestic 
side  of  her  nature  might  alone  for  the  present  be 
freely  dealt  with  ;  and  to  help  Dr.  Sell  in  delineating 
this,  my  Mother  selected  for  his  guidance  the  extracts 
from  my  Sister's  letters  to  her  which  appear  in  the 
present  volume.  There  was  no  thought  at  first  of 
making  these  extracts  public,  but  they  were  found  to 
be  so  beautiful,  and  to  be  so  true  an  expression  of 
what  my  Sister  really  was,  that,  in  compliance  with 
the  request  of  the  Grand  Duke  her  husband,  they 
were  allowed  to  be  translated  and  published,  so  that 
her  subjects  might  see  in  them  how  great  reason 
they  had  to  love  her  whom  they  had  lost. 

The  letters  in  their  original  form  are  here  given 
to  the  English  public,  and  I  am  sure  that  all  who 
read  them  will  feel  thankful  to  my  Mother  for  thus 
granting  them  a  closer  insight  into  my  dear  Sister's 
beautiful  and  unselfish  life. 

They  will  see  in  them  also,  with  satisfaction,  how 
devoted  she  was  to  the  land  of  her  birth, — how  her 
heart  ever  turned  to  it  with  reverence  and  affection 
as  the  country  which  had  done  and  was  doing 
for  Liberty  and  the  advancement  of  mankind  more 


PREFACE.  IX 

than  any  other  country  in  the  world.  How  deep 
was  her  feelfng  in  this  respect  was  testified  by 
a  request,  which  she  made  to  her  husband  in  antici- 
pation of  her  death,  that  an  Enghsh  flag  might 
be  laid  upon  her  coflin  ;  accompanying  the  wish 
with  a  modest  expression  of  a  hope,  that  no  one  in 
the  land  of  her  adoption  could  take  umbrage  at  her 
desire  to  be  borne  to  her  rest  with  the  old  English 
colors  above  her. 

In  any  case  I  feel  confident  that  the  perusal  of 
these  letters  must  deepen  the  love  and  admiration 
which  have  always  been  felt  for  my  beloved  Sister  in 
this  country,  where  she  ever  thanked  God  that 
her  childhood  and  youth  had  been  tended  with 
a  wise  love,  that  had  fostered  and  developed  all 
those  qualities  and  tastes  which  she  most  valued  and 
strove  to  cultivate  in  her  later  years. 

I  had  written  these  words,  when  another  beloved 
member  of  our  family,  whose  name  often  recurs 
in  my  Sister's  letters,  was  suddenly  taken  from 
us,  and  from  our  country.  Writing  of  my  dear 
Brother  to  my  Mother  (February  i,  1868)  she  said  : 
"  May  God  spare  that  young  bright  and  gifted  life  to 
be  a  comfort  to  you  for  many  a  year  to  come  !  " 
That  life,  which  then  hung  trembling  in  the  balance, 
was  mercifully  spared,  not  indeed  for  many  a  year, 
but  lone  enou'di  to  make  my  Brother  more  beloved 
by  his  family  and  friends,  and  to  enable  him  to  give 
to  his  country  some  token  of  the  good  gifts  with 


PRINCESS  ALICE. 


which  he  was  endowed.  As  he  was  the  last  of 
us  to  see  my  dear  Sister  in  Hfe,  so  he  has  been  the 
first  to  follow  her  into  the  Silent  Land. 


HELENA. 


Cumberland  Lodge : 

\Sth  April,  1884. 


PRINCESS  ALICE. 


CHILDHOOD  AND  GIRLHOOD. 

1843-1862. 

"  I  ever  look  back  to  my  childhood  and  girlhood  as  the  happiest  time  of 
life." — I^i2,th  Juste,  1S69.) 

PRINCESS  ALICE,  as  she  is  ever  called  in 
England,  was  born  at  Buckingham  Palace  on 
the  25th  of  April,  1843.  She  was  the  third  child  and 
second  daughter  of  Queen  Victoria  and  Albert,  Prince 
Consort.  At  her  christening,  which  took  place  at  the 
Palace  on  the  2d  of  June,  she  received  the  names 
of  Alice  Maud  Mary.  Princess  Sophia  Matilda  of 
Gloucester,  niece  of  King  George  III.,  and  sister-in- 
law  to  the  Duchess  of  Gloucester,  was  one  of  her 
godmothers,  and  her  Royal  parents  chose  the  name 
of  Maud,  which  is  the  same  as  Matilda,  on  account 
of  its  being  an  old  English  name  borne  by  the  Em- 
press Maud,  and  other  British  princesses.  The  name 
of  "  Mary  "  was  chosen  because  the  litdc  princess  was 
born  on  the  Duchess  of  Gloucester's  birthday. 

The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  officiated  at  the 
christening.       The    sponsors  :    the    reigning    King 


12  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

of  Hanover,  Ernest  Augustus  ;  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Saxe-Coburg  and  Gotha  ;  Princess  Sophia 
Matilda  of  Gloucester,  sister-in-law  to  the  Duchess 
of  Gloucester,  niece  of  George  III.;  and  Feodora, 
Princess  of  Hohenlohe-Langenburg,  half-sister  to 
the  Queen. 

The  christening  was,  as  the  Queen  herself  told 
her  uncle,  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  when  writing  to 
him  on  the  6th  of  June,  "a  very  imposing  ceremony. 
Nothing  could  have  gone  off  better,  and  little  Alice 
behaved  extremely  well."  "'^ 

Though  twenty-two  years  only  have  passed  since 
the  wholly  unexpected  death  of  Prince  Albert  de- 
prived the  Queen  of  her  devoted  husband,  the  Roy- 
al children  of  a  most  loving  and  beloved  father,  and 
the  whole  nation  of  one  of  its  wisest  counsellors,  his 
life,  in  the  admirable  biographical  memorial  by  Sir 
Theodore  Martin,  forms  already  part  of  history, 
and  by  it  we  are  enabled  to  form  a  just  estimate  of 
the  perfect  character  and  great  intellectual  abilities 
of  the  Prince,  whom  his  daughter.  Princess  Alice, 
revered  throusfh  life  as  her  hio^hest  ideal. 

Prince  Albert,  the  second  son  of  the  then  reigning 
Duke  of  Coburg,  was  the  very  picture  of  manly  chiv- 
alrous beauty.  He  was  very  young,  not  yet  twenty- 
one  years  old,  when  he  became  the  Consort  of  the 
Queen  of  England,  who  was  only  three  months  old- 
er. But  by  his  strength  of  character  and  rare  ener- 
gy of  intellect,  combined  with   a  thorough   self-con- 

*  "  Life  of  Prince  Consorl,"  by  Sir  Theodore  Martin,  vol.  i.,  p.  l66. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  1 3 

trol  and  an  unswerving  devotion  to  the  duties  of 
his  position,  he'succeeded  in  gaining  the  love  and 
esteem  of  a  nation  which,  though  it  keeps  watch 
over  its  rights  and  privileges  with  peculiar  jealousy, 
knows  also  how  to  show  great  generosity,  when 
once  it  has  learnt  to  trust  and  to  love. 

With  his  wonderful  power  of  mastering  new  and 
difficult  subjects  he  made  himself  familiar  with  the 
history  and  policy,  the  social  and  agricultural  condi- 
tions, the  industries  and  commercial  relations  of  his 
adopted  country.  In  his  position  of  intimate  confi- 
dential adviser  to  the  Sovereign  he  showed  the 
greatest  tact,  and  gained  the  affection  and  respect  of 
the  Ministers  who  succeeded  one  another  at  the 
head  of  affairs  ;  whilst  the  more  he  became  known 
the  more  his  genuine  worth  was  appreciated  by  the 
nation  at  large. 

Chief  of  all,  two  nations  have  acknowledged  with 
grateful  admiration,  that  under  his  influence  there 
grew  up  in  the  midst  of  the  most  brilliant  Court  in 
Europe  a  domestic  family  life,  so  perfect  in  its  purity 
and  charm  that  it  might  well  serve  for  a  bright  ex- 
ample to  every  home  in  the  land.  Whilst  sharing 
with  the  Sovereign  all  the  labors  and  cares  of  state, 
the  Prince  made  suitable  changes  and  practical  ar- 
rangements in  the  Royal  Household,  and,  by  stead- 
ily adhering  to  principles  which  he  had  at  once  recog- 
nized as  the  best,  he  succeeded  in  making  life  happy 
and  peaceful  to  all  around  him.  Thus  it  was  that 
the  Royal  Family  of  England,  whether  residing  in 


14  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

the  splendid  palaces  at  Windsor,  in  London,  or  at 
Osborne,  the  lovely  country  seat  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  or  at  Balmoral,  surrounded  by  the  sterner 
scenery  of  the  Scotch  Highlands,  was  enabled  to 
enjoy  a  life  of  perfect  tranquillity  amidst  the  political 
tempests  of  the  most  turbulent  decade  of  our  times. 

The  childhood  of  the  Princess  Alice  was  a  very 
happy  one,  and  much  favored  by  circumstances. 
When  she  was  a  year  old,  her  father  mentioned  her 
as  "the  beauty  of  the  family,"  and  as  an  extremely 
good  and  merry  child.  Her  mother  adds,  "  she  was 
a  very  vain  little  person." 

She  developed  naturally.  At  first  she  was  not 
thought  to  be  so  highly  gifted  as  later  years  proved 
her  to  be.  Her  father  often  used  to  speak  of  her  as 
"  poor  dear  litde  Alice,"  as  if  he  had  to  take  her 
part.  She  soon  became  a  great  favorite  with  all 
around  her.  Lady  Lyttleton,  who  up  to  i85i  was 
entrusted  with  the  supervision  of  the  Royal  children, 
and  to  whose  pen  we  owe  so  many  accounts  of  that 
happy  family  life,  writes  as  follows  on  the  little 
Princess'  fourth  birthday  : 

"  Dear  Princess  Alice  is  too  pretty,  in  her  low 
frock  and  pearl  necklace,  tripping  about  and  blushing 
and  smiling  at  her  honors.  The  whole  family,  in- 
deed, appear  to  advantage  on  birthdays  ;  no  trades- 
man or  country  squire  can  keep  one  with  such 
hearty  simple  affection  and  enjoyment.  One 
present  I  think  we  shall  all  wish  to  live  farther  off : 
a  live  lamb,  all  over  pink  ribbons  and  bells.  He  is 
already  the  greatest  pet,  as  one  may  suppose. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  1 5 

"  Princess  Alice's  pet  lamb  is  the  cause  of  many 
tears.  He  will, .not  take  to  his  mistress,  but  runs 
away  lustily,  and  will  soon  butt  at  her,  though  she  is 
most  coaxy,  and  said  to  him  in  her  sweetest  tones, 
after  kissing  his  nose  often,  '  Milly,  dear  Milly  !  do 
you  like  me  ?  ' 

One  of  the  main  principles  observed  in  the  educa- 
tion of  the  Royal  children  was  this — that  though 
they  received  the  best  training,  of  body  and  mind,  to 
fit  them  for  the  high  position  they  would  eventually 
have  to  fill,  they  should  in  nowise  come  in  contact 
with  the  actual  Court  life.  The  children  were 
scarcely  known  to  the  Queen's  ladies-in-waiting,  as 
they  only  now  and  then  made  their  appearance  for 
a  moment  after  dinner  at  dessert,  or  accompanied 
their  parents  out  driving.  The  care  of  them  was  ex- 
clusively entrusted  to  persons  who  possessed  the 
Queen  and  Prince  Consort's  entire  confidence,  and 
with  whom  they  could  at  all  times  communicate 
direct.  The  Royal  parents  kept  themselves  thor- 
oughly informed  of  the  minutest  detail  of  what  was 
being  done  for  their  children  in  the  way  of  training 
and  instruction. 

After  the  first  years  of  childhood  were  past,  the 
Royal  children  were  placed  under  the  care  of  Eng- 
lish, French,  and  German  governesses,  who,  again, 
were  under  a  Lady  Superintendent,  and  accompanied 
the  children  in  their  walks  and  watched  over  them 
during  their  games. 

To  the  lessons  in  foreign  languages,  music  and 
drawing   were   soon    added,  for   which   the    young 


1 6  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Princess  showed  a  decided  talent.*  "  Her  copy- 
books were  always  neatness  itself,  and  she  wrote  a 
very  pretty  hand."  "  Fresh,  blooming,  and  healthy, 
escaping  most  of  the  illnesses  of  childhood,  cheerful, 
merry,  full  of  fun  and  mischief,"  she  delighted  in  all 
bodily  exercises,  such  as  gymnastics,  skating,  etc. 
Above  all,  she  was  passionately  fond  of  riding  and 
of  horses.  She  preferred  playing  with  her  brothers, 
and  was  bold  and  fearless  as  a  boy.  With  all  this, 
however,  she  soon  showed  proofs  of  real  kindness  of 
heart  and  of  tender  consideration  for  others.  "  I  re- 
member well,"  a  former  dresser  of  the  Queen's  re- 
lates, "  meeting  the  Royal  children  playing  in  the 
corridor,  and,  as  I  passed  on,  the  Prince  of  Wales 
making  a  joke  about  my  great  height,  the  Princess 
said  to  her  brothers,  but  so  that  I  should  hear  it :  'It 
is  very  nice  to  be  tall  ;  Papa  would  like  us  all  to  be 
tall.'  "  "  Her  kindness  of  heart  showed  itself  in  all 
her  actions  when  a  child.  Whenever  she  in  the 
least  suspected  that  anybody's  feelings  had  been 
hurt,  she  always  tried  to  make  things  smooth  again." 
"  At  Christmastime  she  was  most  anxious  to  give 
pleasure  to  everybody,  and  bought  presents  for  each 
with  her  own  pocket-money.  She  once  gave  me  a 
little  pincushion,  and  on  another  occasion  a  basket, 
and  wrote  on  a  little  card  with  a  colored  border  (al- 
ways in  German  for  me)  '  For  dear  Frida  [now 
Madame  Miiller],  from  Alice,'  and  brought  it  to  me 
herself  on    Christmas    Eve.      I    felt   that   she    had 

*  The  memoranda  in   this   paragraph  are  communicated  by  the  Crown 
Princess  of  Germany. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  1 7 

thought  how  much  I  must  have  missed  my  home 
that  day." 

The.  first  journeys  on  which  she,  with  her  elder 
sister  and  brother,  was  allowed  to  accompany  her 
parents  are  vividly  described  in  the  Queen's  Journal. 
They  were  those  to  Ireland,  in  1849,  and,  in  i85o, 
to  the  Highlands  ;  and  to  the  beauty  and  grandeur 
of  Highland  scenery  she  remained  through  life  an 
enthusiastic  devotee. 

Her  intellectual  faculties  and  the  deeper  qualities 
of  her  character  did  not,  in  her  case,  as,  indeed,  gen- 
erally happens  with  high-spirited,  healthy  children, 
develop  very  early  ;  but  almost  from  the  first  she 
showed  those  qualities  of  disposition  which  win  all 
hearts  and  lend  a  charm  to  daily  life. 

Little  theatrical  pieces  performed  by  the  Royal 
children  on  festive  anniversaries  in  the  family — partly, 
too,  with  a  view  of  gaining  facility  in  foreign  lan- 
guages— were  the  field  in  which  the  young  Princess 
decidedly  distinguished  herself.  No  child  ever  per- 
formed the  part  of  the  High  Priest  Joad  in  Racine's 
"  Athalie,"  with  more  dignity,  and  with  a  more  pleas- 
ing intonation  ;  and  a  more  delightful  German  Red 
Ridinghood  '^'  than  the  Princess  never  appeared 
upon  the  stage. 

Of  one  of  these  performances,  given  in  honor  of 
the  Queen  and  Prince's  wedding-day  in  1854,  Bar- 
oness Bunsen  gives  the  following  description  in  her 
biography  of  Baron  Bunsen.     A  tableau   represent- 

*  In  a  little  piece  of  that  name  by  Madame  Jonas. 


1 8  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

inof  the  Four  Seasons  had  been  studied  and  con- 
trived  by  the  Royal  children.  "First  appeared 
Princess  Alice  as  the  Spring-,  scattering  flowers,  and 
reciting  verses,  which  were  taken  from  Thomson's 
'  Seasons '  ;  she  moved  gracefully,  and  spoke  in  a 
distinct  and  pleasing  manner  with  excellent  modula- 
tion, and  a  tone  of  voice  sweet  and  penetrating  like 
that  of  the  Queen."  ^' 

It  was  during  these  years  that  Princess  Alice 
formed  her  warm  friendship  for  the  Princess  Louise 
of  Prussia,  now  Grand  Duchess  of  Baden,  who  re- 
cords her  first  impressions  of  the  young  Princess  in 
the  following  words : 

"  She  was  at  that  time  most  graceful  in  appear- 
ance— charming,  merry,  and  amiable  ;  and  though 
always  occupying  a  subordinate  place  to  her  very 
gifted  and  distinguished  sister,  there  never  was  the 
least  semblance  of  a  disagreement.  Alice's  cheerful 
disposition  and  her  great  power  of  observation 
showed  themselves  very  early  in  the  pleasantest 
manner,  and  she  had  a  remarkable  gift  of  making 
herself  attractive  to  others.  Her  individuality  was 
less  decided  and  prominent  than  that  of  her  sister, 
and  she  had  a  special  charm  of  childhood  grace. 
Our  walks  and  drives  together,  the  life  in  the  school- 
room, the  games  in  the  corridors,  or  in  dear  old 
Baron  Stockmar's  room — these  and  all  the  pleasure 
and  enjoyment  of  being  together  with  the  two  sis- 
ters will  ever  remain  amongst  the  happiest  and  most 
lasting  of  my  recollections." 

The    opening   of  the    First    Great  Exhibition   in 

*  Bunsen's  "  Life,"  ii.,  328. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  I9 

i85i — Prince  Albert's  own  creation — was  the  occa- 
sion of  a  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Prussia  (the  present 
Emperor  of  Germany)  and  his  family  to  the  English 
Court.  This  visit  was  repeated  in  1853.  Meanwhile 
an  active  correspondence  had  sprung  up  between 
the  young  friends,  in  which  Princess  Alice  took  a 
most  active  part. 

"  Alice  was  now  drawn  more  into  the  circle  of 
the  grown-up  members  of  the  family  ;  but,  in 
spite  of  this,  she  retained  all  the  fascination  of  her 
charming  graceful  ways.  A  great  vein  of  humor 
showed  itself  in  her,  as  well  as  a  certain  sharpness 
in  criticising  people  who  were  not  congenial  to  her. 
Many  a  little  conflict  took  place  in  the  schoolroom  ; 
but  while  the  individualities  of  the  sisters  became 
more  and  more  distinct,  their  happy  relations  to  one 
another  remained  unchanged.  She  was  a  great  fav- 
orite with  her  brothers  and  sisters,  though  they 
knew  she  was  fond  of  mischief. 

"  To  a  naturally  engaging  manner  quite  excep- 
tional joyousness  and  power  of  showing  affectionate 
emotion  imparted  an  especial  charm,  which  revealed 
itself  in  the  fine  lines  of  her  face,  in  her  graceful 
movements,  and  a  certain  inborn  nobleness  and  dig- 
nity. Her  attachment  to  my  parents,  '  Uncle  Prus- 
sia '  and  '  Aunt  Prussia,'  was  truly  touching." 

In  1 855  Princess  Alice  had  her  first  serious  illness 
— scarlet  fever — caught  from  her  younger  sister, 
Princess  Louise.  She  recovered  easily,  but  for  some 
time  afterward  a  certain  delicacy  was  observable. 
The  accounts  at  that  time  are  unanimous  in  describ- 
ing the  peculiarly  sweet  development  of  her  disposi- 


20  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

tion,  and  the  manifestation  of  a  true  womanly  inter- 
est in  the  works  of  charity  and  mercy.  The  feehng 
of  acting  independently  for  the  good  of  others  had 
been  aroused  in  many  ways  in  the  Royal  children. 
The  Swiss  Cottage  at  Osborne,  in  like  manner,  with 
its  museum,  kitchen,  store-room,  and  little  gardens, 
was  made  the  means  of  learning  how  to  do  house- 
hold work,  and  to  direct  the  management  of  a  small 
establishment. 

The  parents  were  invited  there  as  guests,  to  par- 
take of  the  dishes  which  the  Princesses  themselves 
prepared  ;  and  there,  too,  each  child  was  allowed 
to  choose  its  own  occupation,  and  to  enjoy  perfect 
liberty. 

The  life  in  the  Highlands,  free  from  the  restraint 
of  Court  life,  brought  the  Royal  children  into  closer 
contact  with  the  humbler  classes,  and  called  into 
play  their  sympathies  for  the  poor. 

They  were  permitted  to  visit  the  humblest  cot- 
tages— nay,  even  encouraged  to  do  so.  There  it 
was,  no  doubt,  that  a  feeling  of  pity  for  and  an  ardent 
desire  to  help  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  needy, 
were  first  aroused  in  the  Princess.  We  know  how 
these  early  impressions  led  in  later  life  to  her  found- 
ing some  of  the  noblest  and  most  beneficent  insti- 
tutions. 

The  blessings  of  a  happy  family  life, — which  gen- 
erally those  only  are  allowed  to  enjoy  who  live  in 
happy  obscurity  from  the  great  world, — were  fully 
appreciated  by  the  Princess,  as  we  may  see  from  her 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  21 

later  letters,  abounding  in  gratitude  to  her  parents 
and  brothers  and  sisters,  and  from  the  frequent 
references  which  she  makes  to  this  period  of  her 
life. 

The  visits  of  the  grandchildren  to  their  beloved 
grandmother,  the  Duchess  of  Kent,  old  in  years  but 
young  in  spirit,  at  her  residences  at  Frogmore  (near 
Windsor),  and  Abergeldie  (near  Balmoral),  had  a 
peculiar  charm  for  them. 

The  first  excursion  the  Princess  made  out  of  her 
native  land  was  to  Cherbourg,*  when,  with  her 
brothers  and  sisters,  she  accompanied  her  parents. 
The  lovely  scenery  about  Cherbourg  has  become 
familiar  to  us  through  the  descriptions  given  by  the 
Queen. 

A  great  change  in  the  life  of  the  Princess  took 
place  through  the  engagement  of  the  Princess  Royal 
to  Prince  Frederick  William  of  Prussia.  Hitherto 
the  Princess  had  in  a  great  measure  shared  her  sis- 
ter's studies  and  artistic  occupations,  and  had  had 
the  same  companions,  taking  quietly  and  naturally 
the  second  place.  Now  her  sister's  departure  for  a 
new  home  wrought  an  entire  change  in  her  life, 
throwing  upon  her,  as  it  did,  new  responsibilities  as 
now  the  eldest  daughter  at  home,  and  placing  her  in 
a  new  position  in  relation  to  her  parents,  and  par- 
ticularly to  her  father,  whose  constant  care  it  was 
to  imbue  her  with  that  sincerity  and  earnestness  of 
purpose    without   which,  to   use    his   friend    Baron 

*  In  1857.     See  the  "  Life  of  the  Prince  Consort,"  vol.  iv. 


22  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Stockmar's  words,  "  it  was  impossible  to  fill  one's 
position  in  life  happily,  worthily,  and  with  dignity." 

The  closer  intercourse  with  her  father  laid  the 
foundation  of  that  deep  and  intelligent  love  of  plastic 
art  and  of  music,  for  which  she  had  already  as  a 
child  shown  a  decided  talent.  Her  appreciation  of 
all  that  was  best  in  the  arts  was  fostered  by  the 
many  treasures  by  which  she  was  surrounded 
at  Windsor  Castle,  and  also  by  prosecuting  her 
studies  and  practice  in  music  along  with  the  Prince 
Consort. 

The  many  great  and  stirring  events  of  those 
years,  the  disturbance  of  Europe  through  the 
Revolutions  of  1848  and  1849,  and  the  Crimean 
war,  took  place  when  the  Princess  was  already 
old  enough  to  feel  their  gravity  ;  and  served  to 
awaken  and  foster  the  keen  interest  which  she  took 
in  later  years  in  all  political  occurrences. 

Another  great  European  conflict  was  approaching, 
just  about  the  time  of  her  Confirmation,  which  took 
place  on  the  21st  of  April,  iSSq.  Besides  having 
been  prepared  for  it  by  the  Dean  of  Windsor  (the 
Hon.  and  Very  Rev.  G.  Wellesley),  the  Prince  Con- 
sort himself  had  given  the  Princess  instructions,  as 
he  had  previously  done  to  the  Princess  Royal,  from 
"A  manual  of  Religion  and  of  the  History  of  the 
Christian  Church,"  by  Carl  Gottlieb  Bretschneider 
(formerly,  "  General  Superintendent "  in  Gotha). 
The  Prince's  object  in  this  was  to  encourage  her  in 
serious  thought,  and  in  independent  reflections  on 
religious  questions. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  23 

The  ceremony  of  the  Confirmation,  which  was 
performed  by  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  had 
barely  .  been  concluded,  when  the  news  arrived 
of  the  threatened  invasion  of  Sardinia  by  Austria, 
which  finally  ended  in  the  Austro- Italian  war,  so 
disastrous  to  Austria,  of  iSSq. 

The  Queen  makes  the  following  remarks  on  this 
event,  in  a  letter  to  her  uncle,  the  King  of  the  Bel- 
o-ians  : 

"  *  *  *  But  this  did  not  in  the  least  disturb 
our  dear  child's  equanimity.  She  was  in  a  most 
devotional  state  of  mind — quiet,  gentle,  self-pos- 
sessed, and  deeply  impressed  by  the  importance 
and  solemnity  of  the  event.  She  answered  admir- 
ably at  her  examination,  and  went  through  the 
ceremony  in  a  very  perfect  manner."  * 

Not  long  before  this  the  Queen  had  given  her  own 
opinion  of  her  daughter  in  the  following  words  : 

"  She  is  very  good,  gende,  sensible,  and  amiable, 
and  a  real  comfort  to  me.  I  shall  not  let  her  marry 
as  long  as  I  can  reasonably  delay  her  doing  so."  f 

In  June  i860  the  Queen  and  Prince  Consort 
received  numerous  guests  at  Windsor  Castle  for  the 
Ascot  races,  amongst  others  the  King  of  the  Bel- 
gians and  the  two  Princes,  Louis  and  Henry  of 
Hesse,  the  sons  of  Prince  Charles  of  Hesse  and 
nephews  of  the  reigning  Grand  Duke.  After  they 
had  left  England,  the  Prince  Consort  mentioned 
to  his  valued  friend  Baron  Stockmar,  that  there  was 

*  "  Life  of  the  Prince  Consort,"  vol.  iv.,  p.  429.     \  Ibid.,  p.  427. 


24  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

no  doubt  that  Prince  Louis  and  Princess  Alice 
had  formed  a  mutual  liking,  and  that  he  quite 
expected  it  would  lead  to  further  advances  from  the 
young  Prince's  family. 

Judging  by  the  favorable  impression  which  the 
the  manly  and  attractive  Prince  of  twenty-three  had 
made,  the  probable  result  was  eagerly  looked  for. 

Before  long  a  letter  from  Princess  Frederick  Wil- 
liam from  Berlin  announced  that  she  had  been  in 
communication  with  Prince  Louis'  mother,  Princess 
Charles  of  Hesse  (cousin  of  the  Prince  Regent  of 
Prussia),  who  had  informed  her  of  her  son's  great 
admiration  for  her  sister.  It  was  arranged  that, 
after  the  journey  of  the  Queen  and  Prince  Consort 
to  Germany  that  autumn,  the  young  Prince  should 
pay  a  second  visit  to  England  ;  and  leave  of  ab- 
sence for  him  was  to  be  obtained  from  the  Prince 
Regent  of  Prussia.'^  This  was  done,  and  he  arrived 
at  Windsor  Castle  in  November.  On  the  30th  of 
November  the  Queen  wrote  as  follows  in  her 
Diary  : 

,<  *  *  *  After  dinner,  whilst  talking  to  the 
gentlemen,  I  perceived  Alice  and  Louis  talking 
before  the  fireplace  more  earnestly  than  usual,  and 
when  I  passed  to  go  to  the  other  room,  both  came 
up  to  me,  and  Alice  in  much  agitation  said  he  had 
proposed  to  her,  and  he  begged  for  my  blessing.  I 
could  only  squeeze  his  hand  and  say  '  Certainly,' 
and  that  we  would  see  him  in  our  room  later.     Got 

*  Prince  Louis  of  Hesse  was  at  this  time  serving  in  the  Prussian  Guards 
at  Potsdam, 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  2$ 

through  the  evening  working  as  well  as  we  could. 
Alice  came  to  our  room  "^  '='  ^'  agitated,  but 
quiet.  *  "  ''"''  Albert  sent  for  Louis  to  his  room  ; 
he  werft'  first  to  him  and  then  called  Alice  and  me 
in.  *  ''^  ''^  Louis  has  a  warm,  noble  heart.  We 
embraced  our  dear  Alice,  and  praised  her  much  to 
him.  He  pressed  and  kissed  my  hand,  and  I  em- 
braced him.  After  talking  a  litde,  we  parted  ;  a 
most  touching,  and  to  me  most  sacred,  moment."  ^ 

As  this  was  entirely  a  marriage  of  affection,  the 
happiness  of  the  "  young  people  "  was  very  great. 

Prince  Louis  stayed  over  Christmas,  which  this 
year  seemed  brighter  to  the  whole  family,  from  the 
accession  of  what  her  father  termed  "  a  beloved 
newly-bestowed  full-grown  son."  "  Our  dear  Bride- 
groom," as  the  Prince  Consort  calls  the  young 
Prince,  left  on  the  28th  of  December.  The  jDarting 
was  tearful,  but  full  of  hope,  as  he  was  to  return  in 
the  spring. 

During  the  first  happy  weeks  after  her  engage- 
ment, Princess  Alice  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  her 
evenings  with  her  beloved  grandmother,  the  Duchess 
of  Kent,  either  reading  or  playing  on  the  piano  to 
her,  as  the  Duchess'  health  did  not  allow  of  her 
dinino-  at  Windsor  Castle. 

The  Duchess'  condition  had  become  worse  during 
the  first  months  of  the  new  year  (186 1),  and  she  died 
on  the  1 6th  of  March  at  the  age  of  seventy-four,  in 
the  presence  of  her  beloved  and  loving  daughter, 
whose  happiness  and  affection  had  been  the  joy  of 

*  "  Life  of  the  Prince  Consort,"  vol.  v.,  p.  253. 


26  FH  IN  CESS  ALICE. 

her  life,  and  also  of  her  equally  beloved  son-in-law, 
and  the  Princess  Alice.  On  this  sad  occasion,  which 
she  felt  most  deeply,  Princess  Alice  showed  the 
comfort  and  help  she  was  fitted  to  be  to  her  family 
in  times  of  sorrow  and  anxiety. 

The  Queen  communicated  to  Parliament  in  a 
"  Message  "  the  contemplated  marriage  of  the  Prin- 
cess. The  announcement  was  received  with  general 
satisfaction.  When,  shortly  afterward,  the  question 
of  the  Princess'  "  settlement  "  was  laid  before  the 
House  of  Commons,  the  dowry  of  30,000/.,  with  an 
annuity  of  6,000/.,  was  voted  without  a  dissentient 
voice.  "  She  will  not,"  writes  her  careful  father, 
•*  be  able  to  do  crreat  thino-s  with  it." 

In  May,  Prince  Louis  arrived  at  Osborne  on  a 
visit.  Soon  after,  however,  he  fell  ill  with  the 
measles.  Prince  Leopold  caught  them  from  him, 
and  was  very  seriously  ill. 

In  the  following  month  the  whole  family  were  for 
the  last  time  together,  including  the  two  sons-in-law* 
and  the  two  erandchildren  from  Potsdam. 

Prince  Louis  paid  another  visit  to  England  in  Sep- 
tember, when  he  took  part  in  those  delightful  expe- 
ditions in  the  Highlands,  which  were  to  be  the  last 
the  Prince  Consort  made.f 

In  December,  in  the  midst  of  preparations  which 
he  was  making  for  Princess  Alice's  future  household, 
and  for  a  journey  of  her  brother.  Prince  Leopold,  to 

*  This  is  not  quite  correct.  Prince  Louis  had  left  for  Germany  before  the 
others  arrived. 

•j-  See  "  Leaves  from  a  Journal,"  p,  204,  ^t  seg. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  2/ 

Cannes,  the  Prince  Consort  fell  ill.  Princess  Alice 
was  often  with  h^r  father  during  his  illness,  reading 
to  him,  and  in  intimate  communication  with  her 
mother.  Soon,  however,  the  illness  developed  into 
low  fever,  and  the  Prince,  worn  out  by  over-work 
and  anxiety,  had  not  strength  to  resist  it,  and  died 
peacefully  on  the  14th  of  December,  in  the  presence 
of  the  Queen,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  the  Prin- 
cesses Alice  and  Helena.  During  the  days  of  un- 
speakable sorrow  which  followed  upon  the  death  of 
the  Prince  Consort,  it  was  Princess  Alice  above  all 
who  was  a  real  support  to  her  broken-hearted 
mother.  The  unanimous  opinion  of  eye-witnesses 
as  to  what  the  Princess  went  through  and  achieved 
at  this  time  is  truly  astonishing. 

"  Herself  filled  with  the  intensest  sorrow  at  her 
beloved  father's  death — and  what  a  father !  what  a 
head  of  a  family !  what  a  friend  and  adviser  to  his 
wife  and  children  ! — she  at  once  took  into  her  own 
hands  every  thing  that  was  necessary  in  those  first 
dark  days  of  the  destruction  of  that  happy  home. 
All  communications  from  the  Ministers  and  house- 
hold passed  through  the  Princess'  hands  to  the 
Queen,  then  bowed  down  by  grief.  She  endeav- 
ored in  every  way  possible,  either  verbally  or  by 
writing,  to  save  her  mother  all  trouble.  The  decision 
to  leave  Windsor  for  Osborne  directly  after  the 
Prince's  death,  according  to  the  urgent  wish  of  the 
King  of  the  Belgians,  and  which  it  was  so  difficult 
and  painful  for  the  Queen  to  make,  was  obtained  by 
the  Princess'  infliuence." 

The  gay,  bright  girl  seemed  all  at  once  to  have 
changed  into  the  thoughtful  woman. 


28  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

"  It  was  the  very  intimate  intercourse  with  the 
sorrowing  Queen  at  that  time  which  called  forth  in 
Princess  Alice  that  keen  interest  and  understanding 
in  politics  for  which  she  was  afterward  so  distin- 
guished. She  also  gained  at  this  time  that  practical 
knowledge  for  organizing,  and  the  desire  for  constant 
occupation,  which  in  her  public  as  well  as  in  her 
private  life  became  part  of  herself.  The  Princess 
suddenly  developed  into  a  wise  far-seeing  woman, 
living  only  for  others,  and  beloved  and  respected  by 
the  highest  as  well  as  by  the  lowest.  ■^* 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  Times  said  of  the  Prin- 
cess : 

"  It  is  impossible  to  speak  too  highly  of  the 
strength  of  mind  and  self-sacrifice  of  the  Princess 
Alice  during  these  dreadful  days.  Her  Royal  High- 
ness has  certainly  understood,  that  it  was  her  duty  to 
be  the  help  and  support  of  her  mother  in  her  great 
sorrow,  and  it  was  in  a  great  measure  due  to  her 
that  the  Queen  has  been  able  to  bear  with  such 
wonderful  resignation  the  irreparable  loss  that  so 
suddenly  and  terribly  befell  her." 

The  young  "bridegroom"  did  not  remain  absent 
in  those  days,  but  arrived  without  delay. 

A  touching  trait  is  told  by  the  same  near  relation 
of  the  Princess  whose  memorandum  has  just  been 
quoted.  As  she  was  placing  wreaths  and  flowers  on 
the  dear  dead  Prince,  and  both  knelt  down  near  him, 
she  said  in  a  heart-rending  voice,  "  Oh  !  dear  Molly, 
let  us  pray  to  God  to  give  us  back  dear  Papa !  " 

The  letters   published  in   this  volume  will  show 

*  Memorandum  by  the  Grand  Duchess  of  Baden. 


CHILDHOOD  AND   GIRLHOOD.  29 

that  the  feeling  of  that  irreparable  loss  never  left  her 
through  life,  and  our  impression  cannot  be  a  false 
one,  that  it  was  this  loss  which  brought  out  the  deep 
earnestness  of  her  character,  and  which  made  her 
feel  that  life  was  no  light  thing,  but  a  time  of  proba- 
tion to  be  spent  in  earnest  work  and  conscientious 
fulfilment  of  duty. 

She  felt  it  to  be  a  sacred  duty  to  foster  the  recol- 
lections of  her  girlhood,  and  to  carry  out  the  princi- 
ples with  which  her  father  had  embued  her,  whether 
in  the  cultivation  of  art  and  science,  the  encourage- 
ment of  art  manufactures,  of  agriculture  and  general 
education,  in  the  tasteful  and  pracdcal  arrangement 
of  her  own  house,  in  bettering  the  conditions  of  the 
lower  and  working  classes  by  improving  their  homes 
and  inculcating  principles  of  health,  economy,  and 
domestic  management.  In  short,  in  everyway  open 
to  her,  did  the  Princess  try  to  walk  in  her  father's 
footsteps,  and  so  to  do  honor  to  his  memory. 

It  is  but  natural  that  during  the  first  weeks  of  her 
first  great  sorrow,  and  of  her  many  new  duties,  the 
thought  of  her  own  future  should  have  been  put  into 
the  background.  The  preparations  for  her  marriage, 
however,  as  well  as  for  her  household  were  contin- 
ued, according  to  the  known  intentions  of  the  Prince 
Consort.  The  marriage  was  solemnized  at  Osborne 
on  the  I  St  of  July  at  one  o'clock.  The  Archbishop 
of  York  performed  the  ceremony  in  the  absence  of 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  was  prevented 
by  illness  from  being  present. 


30  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Besides  her  sorrowing-  mother,  the  Crown  Prince 
of  Prussia,  all  her  brothers  and  sisters,  the  parents 
and  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  brideoroom,  and  a 
number  of  princely  relations  were  present.  The 
Duke  of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,  in  the  place  of  her  fa- 
ther, led  the  bride  to  the  altar,  whilst  the  bridegroom 
was  accompanied  by  his  brother.  Prince  Henry.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  ceremony,  the  Queen  withdrew 
to  her  room.  The  guests  left  the  Isle  of  Wight  in 
the  afternoon,  whilst  the  newly-married  pair  w^ent 
with  a  small  suit  to  St.  Clare,  near  Ryde  (belonging 
to  Colonel  and  Lady  Catherine  Harcourt),  where 
they  remained  three  days. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  Prince  and  Princess  Louis  of 
Hesse  left  England,  accompanied  by  the  fervent 
prayers  and  good  wishes  of  a  devoted  people,  who 
never  forgot  what  their  Princess  had  been  to  them 
in  their  hour  of  trouble. 

What  they  felt  found  apt  expression  in  the  fol- 
lowing sonnet,  which  appeared  in  Punch  at  the  time  : 

Dear  to  us  all  by  those  calm  and  earnest  eyes. 

And  early  thought  upon  that  fair  young  brow  ; 

Dearer  for  that  where  grief  was  heaviest,  thou 
Wert  sunshine,  till  He  passed  where  suns  shall  rise 
And  set  no  more  ;  thou,  in  affection  wise 

And  strong,  wert  strength  to  Her  who  even  but  now 

In  the  soft  accents  of  thy  bridal  vow 
Heard  music  of  her  own  heart's  memories. 

Too  full  of  love  to  own  a  thought  of  pride 
Is  now  thy  gentle  bosom  ;  so  't  is  best  : 

Yet  noble  is  thy  choice,  O  English  bride  ! 
And  England  hails  the  bridegroom  and  the  guest 

A  friend — a  friend  well  loved  by  him  who  died. 
He  blessed  your  troth  :  your  v/edlock  shall  be  blessed. 


IN    HER   NEW   HOME. 

1862-1865. 

"  Our  life  is  a  very,  very  happy  one.  I  have  nothing  on  earth  to  wish 
for.  .  .  .  To  be  able  to  make  a  l:)right  and  comlortable  home  for  my 
dear  husband  is  my  constant  aim." — (14//^  Feb.-ist  Alarch,  1S64.) 

1862. 

MEANWHILE  sorrow  had  fallen  on  the  Grand 
Ducal  family  of  Hesse  also.  Some  weeks 
before  the  Princess'  marriage  (May  2  5),  the  Grand 
Duchess  of  Hesse  (Princess  of  Bavaria)  had  died — 
a  woman  beloved  for  her  amiable  and  generous 
qualities,  deeply  regretted  by  her  husband,  the 
Grand  Duke  Louis  IIL,  and  mourned  by  all  who 
knew  her,  high  as  well  as  low.  Nevertheless, 
preparations  had  been  made  to  give  a  brilliant  re- 
ception to  the  newly- married  pair.  The  whole 
country  looked  forward  with  anxiety  to  the  arrival 
oi  the  young  Princess,  of  whom  so  much  had  been 
heard,  and  who,  though  English,  was  known  to  have 
a  thoroughly  sympathetic  feeling  for  Germany. 

The  Prince  and  Princess  made  a  short  stay  at 
Brussels,  and  arrived  at  Bingen,  on  the  Hessian  fron- 
tier, on  the  I  2th  of  July. 

A  special  train  took  them  on  to  Maycnce,  where 
the  first  official  reception  took  place.     The  Rhine 

31 


32  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

was  crossed  in  a  gaily-decorated  steamer,  and  at  the 
last  station  b,efore  Darmstadt  the  Grand  Duke  and 
all  the  family  received  the  Prince  and  Princess  and 
accompanied  them  to  Darmstadt, 

At  half-past  four  in  the  afternoon  the  young  mar- 
ried couple  made  their  state  entry  into  the  town, 
through  streets  decorated  with  triumphal  arches, 
flags,  and  flowers,  amidst  the  peals  of  bells  and  the 
enthusiastic  cheers  of  the  assembled  crowds,  receiv- 
ing and  acknowledging  the  many  marks  of  respect 
and  affection  with  which  they  were  greeted. 

A  mounted  guard  of  honor  headed  the  procession. 
The  schools,  the  different  guilds,  the  choral  societies, 
the  Turnvereine  (gymnastic  societies),  and  thousands 
of  town  and  country  folk  lined  the  streets  through 
which  the  Prince  and  Princess  passed. 

The  impression  produced  on  every  one  by  the 
young  Princess'  grace  and  sweet  maidenly  beauty, 
and  bright  winning,  yet  truly  dignified,  manner,  was 
very  great,  and  inspired  the  fairest  hopes  of  what 
she  would  prove  in  her  new  home.  What  her  own 
first  impressions  of  that  home  were  are  given  in  the 
letters  which  follow. 

The  circumstances  of  her  new  life  were  certainly 
very  different  from  those  to  which  she  had  been  ac- 
customed as  an  English  Princess.  What  she  may 
have  felt  more  keenlv,  as  time  went  on,  in  the  small 
but  often-recurring  diflerences  between  English  and 
German  life,  did  not  oppress  her  at  first.  She  had 
determined  to  make  herself  at  home  in  her  husband's 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  33 

country,  and  she  soon  contrived  to  stamp  on  every 
room  in  her  h©use  the  impress  of  her  fine  taste. 
That  bouse  was  of  the  most  unpretending  character, 
situated  in  a  quiet  quarter  of  the  town,  near  the 
palace  of  Prince  and  Princess  Charles  of  Hesse. 
They  had  few  servants  besides  those  who  came 
with  them  from  England. 

A  short  visit  to  her  uncle  at  Coburg,  a  lengthened 
stay  at  Auerbach, — where  the  Prince  and  Princess 
had  a  small  country  house  lent  them  by  the  Grand 
Duke, — and  excursions  to  Heidelberg  and  Carlsruhe, 
occupied  the  Summer  months.  In  September  they 
went  to  Rheinhardtsbrunn  in  Thuringia  to  meet  the 
Queen,  and  it  was  then  settled  that  they  should 
spend  the  winter  and  spring  in  England  with  Her 
Majesty.  The  house  the  Prince  and  Princess  were 
living  in  at  Darmstadt  was  so  small,  that  plans  had 
at  once  to  be  made  for  a  new  palace  of  their  own. 

On  the  loth  of  November  they  left  Darmstadt, 
travelling  by  Coblenz  and  Cologne  to  Antwerp. 
Here  the  Queen's  yacht,  "  Victoria  and  Albert " 
awaited  them,  and  brought  them  to  England,  where 
they  met  with  a  most  hearty  reception  from  all  classes. 

Royal  Yacht,  July  9th. 

Beloved  Mama  : — Before  leaving  the  yacht  I 
must  send  you  a  few  lines  to  wish  you  once  more 
good-bye,  and  to  thank  you  again  and  again  for  all 
your  kindness  to  us. 

My  heart  was  very  full  when  I  took  leave  of  you 
and  all  the  dear  ones  at  home  ;  I  had  not  the  cour- 
age to  say  a  word, — but  your  loving  heart  under- 
stands what  I  felt. 


34 


FRIiVCESS  ALICE. 


Darmstadt,  July  13th, 

Yesterday,  after  we  reached  Bingen,  all  the  Hes- 
sian officers  of  state  received  us.  At  every  station 
we  received  fresh  people,  and  had  to  speak  to  them. 
At  Mayence  also,  the  beautiful  Austrian  band  played 
whilst  we  waited,  in  pouring  rain,  which  only  ceased 
as  we  reached  Darmstadt.  The  station  before,  the 
Grand  Duke,  Prince  and  Princess  Charles  with  their 
children,  Prince  Alexander  and  his  wife,  received  us 
— all  most  kind  and  cordial. 

At  the  station  we  were  again  received  ;  the  whole 
town  so  prettily  decked  out ;  the  Burger  [Burgesses 
Escort]  rode  near  our  carriage ;  countless  young 
ladies  in  white,  and  all  so  kind,  so  loyal ;  in  all  the 
speeches  kind  and  touching  allusions  were  made  to 
you,  and  to  our  deep  grief.  I  believe  the  people 
never  gave  so  hearty  a  welcome.  We  two  drove 
through  the  town  ;  incessant  cheering  and  shower- 
ing of  flowers.  We  got  out  at  Prince  and  Princess 
Charles'  house,  where  the  whole  family  was  assem- 
bled. 

We  then  went  to  our  rooms,  which  are  very  small, 
but  so  prettily  arranged,  with  such  perfect  taste,  all 
by  my  own  dear  Louis  ;  they  look  quite  English. 

We  then  drove  to  Bessungen  for  dinner  enfam- 
ille.     *     *     * 

We  were  listening  to  twelve  Sangervereine  [Cho- 
ral Unions]  singing  together  yesterday  evening- 
two  hundred  people  ;  it  was  most  beautiful,  but  in 
pouring  rain.  Some  came  up-stairs  dripping  to 
speak  to  us.  The  Grand  Duke  gave  me  a  fine  dia- 
mond bracelet  he  and  his  wife  had  ordered  for  me, 
and  showed  me  all  over  his  rooms. 

To-morrow  we  receive  the  Standesherren  [Princes 
and  Counts]  and  the  gentlemen  of  both  Houses. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  35 

My  thoughts,  rather  our  thoughts,  are  constantly 
with  you,  beloved  Mama.  Please  give  my  love  to 
all  at  home ;  it  is  impossible  to  write  to  them  all. 

July  1 6th. 

*  *  *  It  is  extremely  hot  here.  The  last  two 
days  we  rode  out  at  eight  in  the  morning  in  the 
wood,  where  the  air  is  very  pleasant,  near  the 
ground  where  the  troops  are  drilled.  On  Monday 
we  looked  on,  and  the  soldiers  were  so  much  flat- 
tered. 

At  half-past  one  on  Monday  we  received  the  gen- 
tlemen of  the  Upper  House,  then  the  Lower  House, 
then  the  Fliigeladjutanten  [aides-de-camp],  then  the 
Stadtvorstand  [Town  Council],  then  about  seventy 
officers,  then  a  deputation  of  the  English  here.  All 
these  people  I  had  to  speak  to  cu  grande  toilette,  and 
at  four  \ve  drove  to  a  large  dinner  at  the  Schloss. 
The  Grand  Duke  led  me,  and  I  always  sit  near  him. 

Yesterday  at  three  the  whole  family  drove  to  See- 
heim,  a  lovely  place  in  the  mountains,  to  dinner  with 
the  Grand  Duke.  In  the  two  villages  we  passed, 
flowers  were  showered  upon  us,  and  the  Pfarrer 
[clergyman]  made  a  speech. 

I  am  really  deeply  touched  by  the  kindness  and 
enthusiasm  shown  by  the  people,  which  is  said 
to  be  quite  unusual.  They  wait  near  the  house  to 
see  us,  and  cheer  constantly — even  the  soldiers. 

We  then  drove  for  tea,  which  is  always  at  eight, 
to  Jugenheim  to  Prince  Alexander,  whose  birthday 
it  was,  and  did  not  get  home  till  lo. 

The  whole  family  are  very  amiable  toward  me, 
and  Prince  Alexander  is  most  clever  and  amusing. 

Darling  Louis  is  very  grateful  for  your  kind  mes- 
sages. We  talk  and  think  of  you  often,  and  then  my 
heart  grows  very  heavy.     Away  from   home  I  can- 


36  FHINCESS  ALICE. 

not  believe  that  beloved  Papa  is  not  there  ;  all  is  so 
associated  with  him. 

July  ipth. 

Beloved  Mama  : — Many  thanks  for  your  last  kind 
letter,  and  all  the  news  from  home  ;  dear  Baby 
[Princess  Beatrice]  is  the  only  one  you  have  men- 
tioned nothing  of,  and  I  think  of  her  so  often. 

Some  people  are  coming  to  us  at  one,  and  then 
the  whole  Ministerium  [Administration].  It  is  really 
so  difficult  to  find  something  to  say  to  these  peo- 
ple, and  they  stand  there  waiting  to  be  spoken  to. 

Yesterday  we  received  a  deputation  from  Gies- 
sen,  with  a  very  pretty  dressing-case  they  brought 
us  as  a  present. 

On  Thursday  we  went  incognito  with  Prince  Al- 
exander and  his  wife  to  Frankfort.  The  town  is 
decked  out  most  beautifully,  and  countless  Schiitzen 
[riflemen]  are  walking  about  in  their  dress.  We 
dined  at  the  Palais  and  then  sat  in  the  balcony. 

I  have  just  taken  leave  of  dear  Lady  Churchill  and 
General  Seymour.*  They  have  made  themselves 
most  popular  here,  and  the  people  have  been  very 
civil  to  them. 

Louis  and  I  have  begun  reading  "  Westward  Ho," 
together. 

The  Grand  Duke  went  all  the  way  to  Kranich- 
stein  for  me  the  other  day,  and  walked  about  till  he 
was  quite  hot.  He  has  forbidden  my  visiting  the 
other  places  until  his  return,  as  he  wishes  to  lead 
me  about  there  himself.  I  do  not  see  very  much  of 
the  other  relations  save  at  meals  ;  and,  having  our 
own  carriages,  we  two  drive  together  mostly  alone. 
We  have  tea  usually  out  of  doors  in  some  pretty 
spot  we  drive  to. 

*  Afterward  Marquis  of  Hertford,  who  died  on  the  25th  of  January,  1884. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  37 

These  lines  will  find  you  in  Windsor.  I  went  out 
this  morning  and,-tried  to  find  some  of  those  pretty- 
wreaths  to  send  you,  but  could  get  none.  Please 
put  one  in  St.  George's  *  fi-om  me.  It  is  the  first 
time  you  go  to  that  hallowed  spot  without  me  ;  but 
in  thought  and  prayer  I  am  with  you.  May  God 
strengthen  and  soothe  you,  beloved  Mama,  and  may 
you  still  live  to  find  some  ray  of  sunshine  on  your 
solitary  path,  caused  by  the  love  and  virtue  of  his 
children,  trying,  however  faintly,  to  follow  his 
glorious  example  ! 

I  do  strive  earnestly  and  cheerfully  to  do  my  duty 
in  my  new  life,  and  to  do  all  that  is  right,  which  is 
but  doing  what  dear  Papa  would  have  wished. 

July  2oth. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  long  letter  of 
the  1 8th  just  received.  How  well  do  I  understand 
your  feelings  !  I  was  so  sad  myself  yesterday,  and 
had  such  intense  longing  after  a  look,  a  word  from 
beloved  Papa !  I  could  bear  it  no  longer.  Yet  how 
much  worse  is  it  not  for  you  !  You  know,  though, 
dear  Mama,  he  is  watchingover  you,  waiting  for  you. 
The  thought  of  the  future  is  the  one  sustainincr,  en- 
couraging  point  for  all.  "  They  who  sow  in  tears 
shall  reap  in  joy  "  ;  and  the  great  joy  will  be  yours 
hereafter,  dear  Mama,  if  you  continue  following  that 
bright  example.     *     *     "^ 

We  usually  get  up  about  quarter  or  half-past  sev- 
en, and  take  some  coffee  at  eight.  Then  we  either 
go  out  till  ten  or  remain  at  home,  and  till  twelve  I 
write  and  arrange  what  I  have  to  do. 

At  one,  when  we  return  from  breakfast,  we  usually 
read  together.  I  have  still  a  great  many  people  to 
see,  and  they  usually  come  at  two. 

*  St.  George's  Chapel,  Windsor,  where  the  Prince  Consort  rested  until  re- 
moved to  the  Mausoleum  at  Frogmore. 


38  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

At  four  is  dinner,  and  at  half-past  five  we  are 
usually  back  here,  and  occupy  ourselves  till  six  or 
seven,  then  drive  out  somewhere  for  tea  at  eight, 
walk  about  and  return  at  a  quarter  or  half-past  ten. 
We  do  not  waste  our  time,  I  assure  you,  and  Louis 
has  a  good  deal  to  do  at  this  moment. 

Mr.  Theed's  bust  of  dear  Papa  must  be  very  lovely. 
I  am  curious  to  hear  what  you  think  of  Marochetti's.* 
It  will  be  very  sad  for  you  to  see. 

A  fortnight  already  I  am  here,  and  away  from  my 
dear  home  three  weeks  !  How  much  I  shall  have  to 
tell  you  when  we  meet.  My  own  dear  Mama,  I  do 
love  you  so  much !  You  know,  though  silent,  my 
love  and  devotion  to  you  is  deep  and  true.  If  I 
could  relinquish  part  of  my  present  happiness  to 
restore  to  you  some  of  yours,  with  a  full  heart  would 
I  do  it  ;  but  God's  will  be  done !  God  sustain  my 
precious  mother !  is  the  hourly  prayer  of  her  loving 
and  sympathizing  child. 

July  24th, 
*  '^  *  You  tell  me  to  speak  to  you  of  ;;ry  happi- 
ness— our  happiness.  You  will  understand  the  feeling 
which  made  me  silent  towards  you,  my  own  dear  be- 
reaved Mother,  on  that  point;  but  you  are  unselfish 
and  loving  and  can  enter  into  my  happiness,  though 
I  could  never  have  been  the  first  to  tell  you  how  in- 
tense it  is,  when  it  must  draw  the  painful  contrast 
between  your  past  and  present  existence.  If  I  say  I 
love  my  dear  husband,  that  is  scarcely  enough — it  is 
a  love  and  esteem  which  increases  daily,  hourly  ; 
which  he  also  shows  to  me  by  such  consideration, 
such  tender  loving  ways.  What  was  life  before  to 
what  it  has  become  now?     There   is  such   blessed 

*  The  recumbent  statue  of  the  Prince  Consort,  now  in  the  Mausoleum  at 
Frogmore. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  39 

peace  being  at  his  side,  being  his  wife ;  there  is  such 
a  feehng  of  security  ;  and  we  two  have  a  world  of 
our  own  when  we  are  together,  which  nothing  can 
touch  or  intrude  upon.  My  lot  is  indeed  a  blessed 
one  ;  and  yet  what  have  I  done  to  deserve  that 
warm,  ardent  love,  which  my  darling  Louis  ever 
shows  me  ?  I  admire  his  good  and  noble  heart 
more  than  I  can  say.  How  he  loves  me,  you  know, 
and  he  will  be  a  good  son  to  you.  He  reads  to  me 
every  day  out  of"  Westward  Ho,"  which  I  think  very 
beautiful  and  interesting. 

This  morning  I  breakfasted  alone,  as  he  went  out 
with  his  regiment.  I  always  feel  quite  impatient  un- 
til I  hear  his  step  coming  up-stairs,  and  see  his  dear 
face  when  he  returns. 

Yesterday,  and  the  previous  night,  I  thought  of 
you  constantly,  and  of  our  last  journey  together  to 
dear  Balmoral.  Sad,  painful  though  it  was,  I  liked 
so  much  being  with  you,  trying  to  bear  some  of 
your  load  of  sorrow  with  you.  From  here  I  share 
all  as  if  I  were  really  by  your  side  ;  and  I  think 
so  many  fervent  prayers  cannot  be  offered  to  a 
merciful  lovincf  God  without  His  sendinof  alleviation 
and  comfort. 

Please  remember  me  to  Grant,  Brown,  and  all  of 
them  at  home  in  dear  Scotland,  and  tell  them  how 
much  I  wish,  and  Louis  also,  that  we  were  there, 
changed  though  every  thing  is. 

July  25th. 

:i:  -x-  %  People  say  we  may  still  have  the  Palais, 
but  I  doubt  it.  I  am  going  to  tell  the  Grand  Duke 
that  we  return  to  England  in  autumn  (not  only 
for  your  sake,  but  principally  because  I  do  not  wish 
to  incommode  our  parents  any  longer,  and  because 
in  the  winter  we  could  not  even  receive  people 
here). 


40  FRIA'CESS  ALICE. 

The  only  thing  I  shall  regret  in  our  not  remaining 
here  is,  that  the  people  feel  it  so  much,  and  they  are 
most  kind  ;  but  they  will  see  and  understand  that  it 
cannot  be  otherwise,  and  that  it  does  not  arise  from 
ill  will  on  our  part. 

*  *  *  Cecile  and  Michael  *  were  here  yester- 
day, so  kind  and  so  full  of  real  sympathy  toward  you, 
which  they  begged  me  to  express  to  you.  He  has 
such  warm  feelings;  and  they  admired  and  loved 
dear  Papa,  though  they  saw  him  but  little. 

Darmstadt,  August  ist. 

''*  ^'  "^^  My  heart  feels  ready  to  burst  when 
I  think  of  such  sorrow  as  yours.  I  pray  my  adored 
Louis  may  long  be  spared  to  me.  If  you  only  knew 
how  dear,  how  loving  he  is  to  me,  and  how  he 
watches  over  me,  dear  darling ! 

To-morrow  we  go  to  Coburg,  which  was  an 
old  promise.  Dear  Uncle  sent  only  two  days  ago  to 
say  he  left  Coburg  on  the  5th,  and  would  we  not 
come  before  }  You  will  understand  that,  happy  be- 
yond measure  as  I  am  to  go  there,  a  lump  always 
comes  into  my  throat  when  I  think  of  it — going  for 
the  first  time  with  Louis  to  dear  Papa's  house,  where 
but  recently  he  showed  us  every  thing  himself.f 
Dear  Mama,  I  think  I  can  scarcely  bear  it — the 
thought  seems  so  hard  and  cruel.  He  told  us  as 
children  so  much  of  Coburg,  spoke  to  us  of  it  with 
such  childlike  affection,  enjoyed  so  much  telling 
us  every  anecdote  connected  with  each  spot ; 
and  now  these  silent  spots  seem  to  plead  for  his 
absence. 

To  see  the  old  Baron  [Stockmar]  will  be  a  great 

*  Grand  Duke  and  Grand  Duchess  Michael  of  Russia.     The  Grand  Duke 
Michael  is  uncle  of  the  present  Emperor  of  Russia, 
f  This  was  in  the  autumn  of  i860. 


/-\'  HER  XEW  HOME.  4 1 

happiness,  and  that  Louis  should  make  his  acquaint- 
ance. 

.  ,  Calexberg  bei  Coburg,  August  4th. 

Once  more  in  dear  Coburg,  and  you  can  fancy 
with  what  feehngs.  Every  thing  reminds  me  of 
beloved  Papa  and  of  our  last  happy  visit. 

We  are  living  here,  and  }esterday  we  spent  all  the 
afternoon  and  dined  at  the  Rosenau.  It  was  a 
lovely  day,  and  the  view  so  beautiful.  We  went  all 
over  the  house  and  walked  about  in  the  grounds. 
We  walked  to  dear  Papa's  little  garden,  and  I  picked 
two  flowers  there  for  you,  which  I  enclose. 

Every  spot  brought  up  the  remembrance  of  some- 
thing dear  Papa  had  told  us  of  his  childhood  ;  it 
made  me  so  sad,  I  can't  tell  you.  Uncle  Ernest  was 
also  sad,  but  so  kind  and  affectionate,  and  they  both 
seemed  so  pleased  at  our  having  come. 

Every  thing  about  dear  Papa's  illness,  and  then  of 
the  sad  end,  I  had  to  tell.  I  lived  the  whole  dread- 
ful time  over  again,  and  wonder,  whilst  I  speak  of 
it,  that  we  ever  lived  through  it. 

At  nine  o'clock  church  service  was  in  the  pretty 
little  chapel.  Holzei  read,  and  Superintendent 
Meyer  preached  a  most  beautiful  sermon,  the  text 
being  where  our  Saviour  told  his  disciples  they  must 
become  as  a  little  child  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  He  spoke  with  his  usual  fervor,  and  it  was 
most  impressive.  I  saw  him  afterward,  and  he  en- 
quired very  much  after  you. 

We  are  going  after  breakfast  to  the  Festung,  and 
then  Louis  and  I  are  going  to  see  the  dear  Baron 
[Stockmar]. 

Darmstadt,  August  6th. 

Dear  Beloved  Mama  : — Can  you  give  me  no  ray 
of  hope  that   you  in  some  way,  bodily  or  mentally, 


42  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

feel  better  ?  It  makes  my  heart  ache  bitterly,  to 
hear  those  sad  accounts  you  give  of  yourself,  though 
I  well  know  what  for  you  life  without  him  must  be  ! 
God  comfort  you  !  is  my  constant  prayer. 

We  saw  the  dear  old  Baron  for  some  time.  The 
meeting  was  sad  on  both  sides  ;  he  was  very  kind, 
but  so  desponding  as  to  every  thing  !  In  England 
and  abroad  he  looks  at  every  thing  in  a  black  light, 
and  was  full  of  complaints  about  himself.  He  asked 
much  after  you,  and  is  anxious  to  see  you  again. 

August  ptb. 

Next  Monday  we  are  going  to  Auerbach,  to  live 
there  for  a  little  time.  It  lies  in  the  Bergstrasse,  and 
is  very  healthy.  The  Grand  Duke  allows  us  to 
inhabit  one  of  the  houses. 

August  i6th. 

How  I  long  to  read  what  Mr.  Helps  has  written 
about  Papa  !  What  can  it  be  but  beautiful  and  ele- 
vating, if  he  has  rightly  entered  into  the  spirit  of  that 
pure  and  noble  being  ?  '^ 

Oh,  Mama !  the  lonfjino-  I  sometimes  have  for 
dear  Papa  surpasses  all  bounds.  In  thought  he  is 
ever  present  and  near  me  ;  still  we  are  but  mortals, 
and  as  such  at  times  long  for  him  also.  Dear,  good 
Papa  !  Take  courage,  dear  Mama,  and  feel  strong  in 
the  thought  that  you  require  all  your  moral  and 
physical  strength  to  continue  the  journey  which 
brings  you  daily  nearer  to  Ho7ne  and  to  Him  !  I 
know  hov/  weary  you  feel,  how  you  long  to  rest 
your  head  on  his  dear  shoulder,  to  have  him  to  soothe 
your  aching  heart.  You  will  find  this  rest  again, 
and  how  blessed  will  it  not  be  !     Bear  patiently  and 

*  This  refers  to  Mr.,  afterward  Sir,  Arthur  Helps'  Introduction  to  the 
"  Collected  Addresses  and  Speeches  of  the  Prince  Consort,"  which  was  then 
about  to  be  published  (Murray,  1862). 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  43 

courageously  your  heavy  burden,  and  it  will  lighten 
imperceptibly  as  you  near  him,  and  God's  love  and 
mercy  will  support  you.  Oh,  could  my  feeble  words 
bring  you  the  least  comfort !  They  come  from  a 
•trusting,  true,  and  loving  heart,  if  from  naught  else. 

AUERBACH,  August  l6th. 

*  *  *  We  do  feel  for  you  so  deeply  and  would 
wish  so  much  to  help  you,  but  there  is  but  One  who 
can  do  that,  and  you  know  whom  to  seek.  He 
will  give  you  strength  to  live  on  till  the  bright  day 
of  reunion.     *     '•'     ''' 

AUERBACH,  August    2ISt. 

*  *  *  Our  visit  to  Giessen  *  went  off  very 
well.  The  people  were  most  loyal.  We  went  to 
see  the  Gymnasts,  and  Louis  walked  about  amongst 
them,  which  pleased  them  very  much.  He  is  very 
popular  there,  and  I  am  very  glad  we  both  went,  for 
it  made  a  good  impression. 

We  drove  to  Louis'  property,  Stauffenberg,  a 
beautiful  (alas  !  ruined)  castle,  which  by  degrees  he 
is  havinof  restored,  and  which  will  be  a  charmingf 
house  for  us,  if  it  is  finished,  which  can  only  be  done 
gradually. 

AUERBACH,  August  23d. 

*  '^'  '•'  Try  and  gather  in  the  few  bright  things 
you  have  remaining  and  cherish  them,  for  though 
faint,  yet  they  are  types  of  that  infinite  joy  still  to 
come.  I  am  sure,  dear  Mama,  the  more  you  try  to 
appreciate  and  to  find  the  good  in  that  which  God 
in  His  love  has  left  you,  the  more  worthy  you  will 
daily  become  of  that  which  is  in  store.  That 
earthly  happiness  you  had  is  indeed  gone  forever, 
but  you  must  not  think  that  every  ray  of  it  has  left 

*  During  a  musical  and  gymnastic  festival. 


44  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

you.  You  have  the  privilege,  which  dear  Papa 
knew  so  well  how  to  value,  in  your  exalted  position, 
of  doing  good  and  living  for  others,  of  carrying  on 
his  plans,  his  wishes  into  fulfilment,  and  as  you  go 
on  doing  your  duty,  this  will,  this  must,  I  feel  sure,* 
bring  you  peace  and  comfort.  Forgive  me,  darling 
Mama,  if  I  speak  so  openly  ;  but  my  love  for  you  is 
such  that  I  cannot  be  silent,  when  I  long  so  fervently 
to  give  you  some  slight  comfort  and  hope  in  your 
present  life. 

I  have  known  and  watched  your  deep  sorrow  with 
a  sympathizing,  though  aching  heart.  Do  not  think 
that  absence  from  you  can  still  that  pain.  My  love 
for  you  is  strong,  is  constant ;  I  would  like  to  shelter 
you  in  my  arms,  to  protect  you  from  all  future 
anxiety,  to  still  your  aching  longing !  My  own 
sweet  Mama,  you  know  I  would  give  my  life  for 
you,  could  I  alter  what  you  have  to  bear  ! 

Trust  in  God !  ever  and  constantly.  In  my  life  I 
feel  that  to  be  my  stay  and  my  strength,  and  the 
feeling  increases  as  the  days  go  on.  My  thoughts  of 
the  future  are  bright,  and  this  always  helps  to  make 
the  minor  worries  and  sorrows  of  the  present  dissolve 
before  the  warm  rays  of  that  light  which  is  our  guide. 

AUERBACH,  August  25th. 

*  *  '•'  To-day  is  the  Ludwigstag,  a  day  kept 
throughout  the  country,  and  on  which  every  Ludwig 
receives  presents,  etc.  ;  but  we  spend  it  quite  quietly. 
Louis'  parents  and  the  others  are  coming  to  break- 
fast, and  remain  during  the  day.  Louis  is  out  riding. 
We  always  get  up  early.  He  rides  whilst  I  write, 
and  we  then  walk  together  and  breakfast  somewhere 
out  of  doors. 

We  went  to  the  little  church  here  yesterday,  which 
is  very  old,  and  they  sang  so  well. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  45 

I  drew  out  of  doors  also,  as  it  was  very  fine  ;  but 
it  is  very  difficult,  as  it  is  all  green,  and  the  trees 
are  my  misfortune,  as  I  draw  them  so  badly.  I  play 
sometimes  with  Christa  *  ;  she  plays  very  well. 

August  26th  [Prince  Consort's  Birthday]. 

With  a  heavy  heart  do  I  take  up  my  pen  to  write 
to  you  to-day — this  dear  day,  now  so  sad,  save 
through  its  bright  recollections.  I  cannot  bear  to 
think  of  it  now,  with  no  one  to  bring  our  wishes  to, 
with  that  painful  silence  where  such  mirth  and 
gaiety  used  to  be.  It  is  very  hard  to  bear,  and  the 
first  anniversary  is  like  the  commencement  of  a  new 
epoch  in  our  deep  sorrow. 

When  your  dear  present  was  brought  to  me  this 
morning,  I  could  not  take  my  eyes  from  it,  though 
they  were  blinded  with  tears.  Oh,  those  beautiful, 
those  loved  features  !  There  wants  but  his  kind  look 
and  word  to  make  the  picture  alive  !  Thousand 
thanks  for  it,  dear  Mama. 

How  trying  this  day  will  be  for  you  !  My  thoughts 
are  constandy  with  you,  and  I  envy  the  privilege  the 
others  have  in  being  near  you  and  being  able  to  do 
the  least  thing  for  you. 

The  sun  shines  brighdy  in  the  still  blue  sky  ;  how 
bright  and  peaceful  it  must  be  where  our  dear  Spirit 
dwells,  if  it  is  already  so  beautiful  here. 

September  5th. 

*  *  *  Two  days  ago  Louis  and  I  went  to 
Worms.  Whilst  he  went  to  his  regiment,  which 
the  Grand  Duke  came  to  inspect,  I  went  to  the  Dom, 
which  is  most  beautiful  ;  and  then  went  in  a  little 
boat  on  the  Rhine,  which  was  charming.  It  took  us, 
driving,  an  hour  and  a  half  from  Auerbach  to 
Worms. 

*  The  Princess'  lady,  Baroness  Christa  Schenk. 


46  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

AuERBACH,  September  7th. 

•3C-  *  *  Yor  Louis'  birthday  we  are  going  to 
Darmstadt ;  it  is  getting  cold  and  damp  here,  and 
the  house  is  small.  We  take  our  meals  in  another 
house,  and  it  is  cold  to  walk  over  there  of  an  eve- 
ning. Think  of  us  on  the  12th.  It  was  such  a  happy- 
day  last  year.'^ 

I  have  such  Heimwch  [yearning]  after  beloved 
Papa  ;  it  is  dreadful  sometimes  when  I  think  of  him 
and  of  our  home.  But  he  is  so  happy  in  his  bright 
home,  could  we  but  catch  a  glimpse  of  him  there. 
Dear  Grandmama  [the  Duchess  of  Kent],  too,  is 
constantly  in  my  thoughts  lately.  I  can  see  her  be- 
fore me — so  dear,  kind,  and  merry.  As  time  goes 
on,  such  things  only  mingle  themselves  more  vividly 
with  one's  usual  life  ;  for  it  is  their  life  which  is 
nearest  us  again,  and  not  their  death,  which  casts 
such  a  gloom  over  their  remembrance. 

AuERBACH,  September  nth. 

*  *  *  How  beautiful  Heidelberg  is  !  we  went 
all  over  the  Castle,  and  with  such  glorious  weather. 
There  is  one  side  still  standing,  built  and  decorated 
by  a  pupil  of  Michael  Angelo,  which  dear  Papa  ad- 
mired so  much.  How  do  I  miss  not  being  able  to 
talk  to  beloved  Papa  of  all  I  see,  hear,  feel,  and 
think  !  His  absence  makes  such  a  gap  in  my  ex- 
istence. 

Darmstadt,  October  T3th. 

*  ^'  '^  Our  visit  to  Baden  was  charming,  and 
dear  Fritz  and  Louise  f  so  kind  !  Louis  and  I  were 
both  delighted  by  our  visit.  The  Queen,  the 
Duchess  of  Hamilton,  and  Grand  Duchess  Helene 

*  Prince  Louis  was  then  at  Balmoral. 
f  Grand  Duke  and  Grand  Duchess  of  Baden. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  47 

were  there,  besides  dear  Aunt  [Princess  Hohenlohe], 
and  Countess  Slicher.  The  two  latter,  dear  and 
precious  as  ever. 

We  left  yesterday  morning-  ;  spent  three  hours 
with  Grand  Duchess  Sophie,  who  is  the  most  agree- 
able, clever,  amiable  person  one  can  imagine.  It 
gave  me  real  pleasure  to  make  her  acquaintance. 
Aunt  Feodore's  house,  though  small,  is  really  very 
pretty,  and  her  rooms  are  hung  full  of  pictures.  I 
saw  VVinterhalter  also,  in  his  lovely  new  house, 
which  he  has  gone  and  sold,  saying  it  was  too  good 
for  him.  He  has  painted  a  most  beautiful  picture  of 
the  Grand  Duchess  Helene — quite  speaking. 

*  *  "^  I  am  going  to  make  my  will  before 
leaving.  I  do  not  like  leaving  (for  England)  with- 
out having  done  something. 

Darmstadt,  October  17th. 
First  of  all,  thousand  thanks  from  Louis  and  me 
for  your  having  allowed  dear  Arthur^'  to  come  with 
us.  I  cannot  tell  you  what  pleasure  it  has  been  to 
me  to  have  that  dear  child  a  little  bit.  He  has  won 
all  hearts,  and  I  am  so  proud  when  they  admire  my 
little  brother,  who  is  a  mixture  of  you  and  adored 
Papa. 

Darmstadt,  October  23d. 

*  *  *  We  intend  probably  leaving  this  on 
Saturday,  the  8th,  remaining  until  the  loth  at  Cob- 
lenz,  from  whence  we  go  direct  in  eleven  hours  and 
three-quarters  to  Antwerp,  leaving  Antwerp  the 
morning  of  the  12th,  to  reach  Windsor  that  even- 
ing or  the  next  morning. 

We  always  continue  reading  together,  and  have 
read    Hypatia,   a    most   beautiful,   most   interesting, 

*  Duke  of  Connaught,  then  twelve  years  old. 


48  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

and  very  learned  and  clever  book,  which  requires 
great  attention. 

I  have  the  great  bore  to  read  the  newspapers 
every  day,  which  I  must  do  ;  see  Dr.  Becker  *  from 
eleven  to  twelve  ;  then  I  write,  and  have  constantly 
people  to  see,  so  that  I  have  scarcely  any  time  to 
draw  or  to  play.  I  also  read  serious  book  to  my- 
self. 

Louis  would  like  to  go  to  Leeds  and  Manchester 
from  Osborne,  as  he  wants  to  go  to  London  from 
Windsor.     I  shall  accompany  him  sometimes. 

October  25th. 

As  you  come  later  to  Windsor,  we  shall  not  leave 
till  the  loth,  remain  the  iith  with  the  Queen,  then 
go  direct  to  Antwerp.  If  the  weather  is  bad  we 
shall  wait.  Then  on  the  14th  or  i5th  we  shall  be  at 
Windsor,  which  we  prefer  to  coming  to  Osborne. 
We  hope  this  will  suit  you. 

All  are  full  of  lamentations  at  our  departure,  and 
for  so  long,  which  is  most  natural ;  but  they  are  very 
kind.  We  have  a  family  dinner  in  our  little  room 
to-day,  which  is  large  enough  for  a  few  people. 
The  Grand  Duke  has  quite  lost  his  heart  to  Arthur, 
and  Bertie  [Prince  of  Wales]  pleased  him  also  very 
much. 

In  talking  together  last  night,  Louis  said  what  I 
feel  so  often,  that  he  always  felt  as  if  it  must  come 
right  again  some  time,  and  we  should  find  dear  Pa- 
pa home  again.     In  another  home  we  shall. 

October  30th. 
The   Grand  Duke    was    quite    overcome   when  I 
gave  him  the  photographs,  and  with  Baby's  [Prin- 
cess  Beatrice's]   he  is  quite  enchanted,  and  wishes 

*  The  Princess  Alice's  private  secretary. 


IN  HER  NEIV  HOME. 


49 


me  to  tell  you  how  grateful  he  is,  and  how  much  he 
thanks  you.  Yeu  cannot  think  Jiow  pleased  he  was, 
and  the  more  so  l\\-sX  you  sent  them  him.  He  has  a 
warm  heart  and  feels  very  much  for  you,  and  takes 
a  warm  interest  in  all  my  brothers  and  sisters. 

I  am  glad  you  are  going  to  see  dear  Fritz  of  Ba- 
den ;  he  will  be  so  pleased.  We  shall  see  Louise  at 
Coblenz. 

The  plans  for  our  house  have  come,  and  even  the 
simplest  is  far  above  what  we  poor  mortals  can 
build. 

November  6th. 
%  *  *  Yesterday,  Mrs.  Combe,  widow  of 
George  Combe  and  daughter  of  Mrs.  Siddons,  came 
to  see  me  and  was  with  me  some  time.  She  is  a 
clever,  amiable  old  lady.  It  gave  me  such  pleasure 
to  see  and  talk  with  her.  Will  you  tell  Sir  Jame^ 
Clark  so,  as  she  is  an  old  friend  of  his. 


1863. 

Each  visit  to  her  old  home  seemed  to  eive  fresh 
life  to  Princess  Alice,  and  it  can  therefore  be  easily 
understood  how  great  her  happiness  was  at  beini; 
again  under  her  mother's  roof  and  care,  there  to 
await  the  realization  of  her  fondest  hopes. 

It  was  also  a  great  comfort  to  the  Princess  to 
spend  the  first  anniversary  of  her  father's  death  with 
her  family  around  her. 

On  the  1 8th  of  December,  1862,  the  remains  cf 
the  Prince  Consort  were  placed  in  a  temporary  sar- 
cophagus, in  the  centre  of  the  newly-erected  mauso- 
leum at  Frogmore  in  the  presence  of  the  Prince  of 


50  PRIXCESS  ALICE. 

Wales,  Prince  Arthur,  Prince  Leopold,  and  Prince 
Louis  of  Hesse. 

Prince  Louis  occupied  much  of  his  time  during  his 
long  stay  in  England  in  making  a  number  of  inter- 
esting visits  to  the  chief  industrial  centres,  and  to 
military  arsenals  and  depots. 

Princess  Alice  met  with  a  carriage  accident  on  the 
last  day  of  the  old  year,  which  happily  was  followed 
by  no  bad  consequences. 

On  the  loth  of  March,  1863,  the  Prince  of  Wales 
was  married  to  the  Princess  Alexandra  of  Denmark, 
at  St.  George's  Chapel,  Windsor  Castle,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  whole  Royal  family.  It  was  the  first 
Royal  marriage  which  had  been  celebrated  in 
that  chapel  since  the  marriage  of  Henry  L,  in 
1122. 

Soon  after,  on  Easter  Sunday,  the  5th  of  April, 
1863,  Princess  Louis  of  Hesse  gave  birth  to  a 
daughter  at  W^indsor  Castle.  This  event  was  made 
known  next  day  at  Darmstadt  by  the  firing  of 
twenty-one  guns.  The  best  possible  news  con- 
tinued to  be  received  of  the  well-doing  of  mother 
and  child. 

The  little  Princess  was  christened  on  the  27th  of 
April,  at  Windsor,  by  the  Hessian  Court  chap- 
lain, Bender.  She  received  the  names  of  Victoria 
Alberta  Elizabeth  Matilda.  The  Princes  Alexan- 
der and  Henry  of  Hesse  represented  the  Grand 
Ducal  family  at  the  christening. 

Princess  Alice  completed  her  recovery  during  a 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  5 1 

stay  at  Osborne,  in  May,  and  while  there  was  able  to 
accompany  the  Queen  on  a  visit  to  the  Military  Hos- 
pital at  Netley. 

After  a  short  stay  in  London,  Prince  and  Princess 
Louis  of  Hesse  and  their  little  daugfhter  returned  to 
Darmstadt.  They  spent  the  summer  months  at 
Kranichstein,  a  shooting-lodge  near  Darmstadt,  be- 
longing to  the  Grand  Duke.  The  Princess  employed 
her  time  in  becoming  better  acquainted  with  her 
adopted  country,  its  inhabitants,  their  customs,  and 
ways  of  thinking. 

The  Congress  of  German  Potentates  and  Princes 
at  Frankfort,  in  August,  brought  the  Princess  in  con- 
tact with  many  crowned  heads.  She  proved  herself 
her  father's  true  child  in  regard  to  politics.  The 
Prince  Consort  had  always  longed  for  an  united 
Germany,  with  Prussia  at  its  head,  and  a  Liberal 
constitution.  Princess  Alice's  letters  will  show  how 
truly  German  her  feelings  were  in  the  Schleswig- 
Holstein  question,  which  at  that  time,  owing  to  the 
death  of  King  Frederick  VII.  of  Denmark,  and  the 
claims  made  by  his  successor,  King  Christian  IX., 
to  the  succession  in  the  Duchies  also,  assumed  a 
European  interest,  and  led  to  consequences  of 
permanent  importance  in  the  history  of  Europe. 
The  accounts  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Prince  and 
Princess  Louis  endeavored  to  fulfil  their  social  duties 
throw  a  significant  light  upon  the  way  in  which  the 
young  Princess  discharged  her  duties  as  the  mistress 
of  her  home. 


52  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

In  August  the  Princess  met  Queen  Victoria  at 
Coburg ;  and  afterward  had  the  happiness  of  re- 
ceiving Her  Majesty  and  her  sisters  Helena,  Louise 
and  Beatrice,  and  her  brother  Alfred,  on  a  short  visit 
at  Kranichstein. 

A  few  weeks  later  the  Prince  and  Princess  with 
their  child  joined  the  Queen  at  Balmoral,  where 
nearly  all  the  members  of  the  Royal  family  were  as- 
sembled. 

In  November  they  returned  to  Darmstadt,  where, 
during  their  absence,  the  new  palace  had  made  rapid 
progress,  and  was  roofed  in.  It  was  built  on  a  site 
given  by  the  Grand  Duke,  and  after  plans  designed 
by  the  Princess  herself.  The  arrangement  of  the 
interior  was  entirely  carried  out  by  herself  in  a  man- 
ner both  practical  and  artistic. 

In  December,  Prince  Louis'  only  sister,  Anna, 
was  enofaofed  to  be  married  to  the  Grand  Duke  of 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin,  an  event  which  gave  great 
satisfaction  at  the  time.  The  Princess  spent  her 
first  Christmas  in  Germany  this  year — 1863. 

Marlborough  House,  May  i4'<:h. 

Dearest  Mama  : — Our  parting  this  morning  was 
most  painful  to  both  of  us — from  you  to  whom  we 
aiue  so  much,  and  whom  we  love  so  dearly. 

May  God  comfort  and  support  you,  beloved 
Mama,  on  your  sad  and  weary  pilgrimage  ! 

Marlborough  House,  May  i6th, 
I  could  not  get  your  dear  face  and   your  sweet 
voice  out  of  my  mind  for  an  instant,  and  everywhere 
I  thought  I  must  see  you  or  dear  Papa.     It  seemed 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  53 

SO  strange  ;  I  had  the  tears  in  my  eyes  all  day.  The 
worst  was  the  opera,  for  I  had  never  been  without 
you  or  Papa,  and  all  was  the  same  and  yet  so 
different.  It  was  very  trying  to  me ;  and  so 
will  the  drawing-room  be  to-day.  *  *  :s  j  g^^v 
Lady  Jocelyn,  Duchess  of  Manchester,  Sir  Charles 
Locock,  and  Lord  Alfred  Paget,  to  show  them  baby, 
and  all  find  her  like  what  we  all  were.  How  much 
we  have  to  thank  for  in  her  name.  Your  affection 
for  her  and  all  you  have  done  for  her  have  touched 
us  more  than  I  can  say.  It  seemed  to  me  quite 
wrong  to  take  her  from  you. 

On  Wednesday,  Alix  [Princess  of  Wales]  and 
myself  go  to  the  studios.  This  morning  we  drove 
in  Battersea  Park. 

May  19th. 

*  *  *  The  drawing-room  was  long,  but  Alix 
and  I  were  not  so  tired,  considering  the  length  of 
time,  for  we  stood,  excepting  twenty  minutes,  in  the 
middle,  when  there  was  a  block  and  the  people  could 
not  come. 

In  to-day's  letter  you  mention  again  your  wish 
that  we  should  soon  be  with  you  again.  Out  of  the 
ten  months  of  our  married  life  five  have  been  spent 
under  your  roof,  so  you  see  how  ready  we  are  to  be 
with  you.  Before  next  year  Louis  does  not  think  we 
shall  be  able  to  come ;  at  any  rate  when  we  can 
we  shall,  and  I  hope  we  shall  be  able  to  see  you  for  a 
day  or  two  in  Germany  to  divide  the  time. 

Darmstadt,  May  23d. 

*  *  *  Baby  "  has  been  so  much  admired,  and 
all  the  clothes  you  gave  her. 

*  Princess  Victoria  of  Hesse. 


54  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Darmstadt,  May. 

I  sha'n't  have  time  to  write  more  than  a  few  words, 
as  we  have  just  returned  from  church  and  are  going 
to  Mayence  till  Wednesday.  The  Grand  Duke  came 
all  the  way  to  Kranichstein  yesterday  to  go  about 
with  us,  and  see  how  to  arrange  it  comfortably.  He 
is  most  kind,  and  sat  an  hour  with  me. 

We  have  received  two  deputations  this  morning, 
and  my  things,  which  ought  to  have  been  here  be- 
fore us,  only  arrived  to-day. 

Mayence,  June  2d. 

There  was  a  large  dinner  yesterday  ;  the  Nassaus 
dined  here,  and  this  morning  we  have  been  to  Bie- 
brich.  The  Duke  and  Duchess,  Nicolas  Nassau, 
Marianne  of  Prussia,"^  her  sister  the  Duchess  of 
Altenburg,  and  Landgrave  William  were  there. 
They  were  most  kind  and  civil.  We  hurried  back 
in  time  for  dinner.  The  Grand  Duke  is  most  kind, 
has  taken  me  everywhere  about  himself — -into  the 
Dom,  into  several  shops,  etc. 

Now  when  I  return  I  shall  have  to  unpack  and 
pack  again  for  Kranichstein,  and  arrange  the  house 
there,  which  has  not  been  lived  in  for  eighty  years, 
so  that  for  writing  I  have  barely  a  moment. 

I  have  good  accounts  of  baby,  whom  all  the  old 
gentlemen  run  out  of  their  houses  to  look  at,  when 
she  walks  in  the  garden,  and  try  to  tell  Moffat  [her 
nurse]  what  they  think  of  her,  but  she  of  course  un- 
derstands nothinsf. 

Darmstadt,  June  3d. 

I  write  to  you  to-day,  as  Louis  is  going  for  all  day 
to  Worms  to-morrow,  and  I  am  going  to  Jugenheim 
to  Uncle  Alexander.  It  is  already  warm  here,  and 
we  are  going  in  a  day  or  two  into  the  country. 

*  Princess  Frederick  Charles,  mother  of  the  Duchess  of  Connaught. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  55 

The  Queen  of  Prussia  passes  through  here  to-day, 
and  I  shall  probably  hear  from  her  what  her  inten- 
tions are  about  England.  I  have  received  a  splendid 
bracelet  from  the  Empress  of  Russia — for  baby's 
picture.     She  is  said  to  be  far  from  well. 

Darmstadt,  June  6th. 

*  *  '^  Louis  was  away  from  four  o'clock  yester- 
day morning  till  eleven  at  night.  He  was  at  Worms 
with  Uncle  Louis.  Tuesday  is  his  birthday,  and  we 
shall  very  likely  go  on  Monday  to  Mayence,  as 
Uncle  Louis  is  always  wishing  for  us. 

I  took  a  walk  at  Jugenheim  yesterday  with  Uncle 
Alexander,  his  wife  and  children,  of  more  than  two 
hours,  and  it  was  so  beautiful,  and  numberless  little 
birds  singing.  Uncle  Alexander  was  so  grateful  for 
all  your  kindness,  and  was  above  all  so  charmed 
with  you.  It  always  makes  me  so  happy  to  be  able 
to  talk  about  you,  and  to  hear  you  appreciated 
as  you  ought  to  be,  darling  Mama. 

June  8tli. 

*  *  *  Baby  sits  up  quite  strong,  and  looks 
about  and  laughs.  She  has  got  on  wonderfully,  and 
she  is  so  good.  She  was  an  hour  with  us  yesterday 
evening  wide  awake,  and  so  good.  She  is  as  well 
and  as  strong  as  any  child  could  be.  To-day  we  go 
to  Mainz,  and  to-morrow  night  from  thence  to  Kran- 
ichstein.  All  our  beds  must  be  moved  meanwhile, 
as  there  are  none  in  the  house. 

Kranichstein,  June  12th. 
Louis  went  at  six  this  morning  to  Darmstadt  for 
the  inspection  of  his  regiment  by  Uncle  Louis. 
Princess  Charles'  birthday  is  on  the  i8th.  The 
Grand  Duke  will  be  at  Friedbcrg,  and  we  are  to  go 
for  the  day,  which  will  be  rather  tiring,  as   it  is  a 


3 6  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

good  way  by  rail  and  back  again,  and  we  have  to 
wait  an  hour  at  Frankfort. 

Louis  is  going  to  take  his  seat  in  the  Chamber  on 
the  23d.  He  was  unable  to  do  so  last  year,  as  we 
left  for  England  two  days  before  the  time. 

June  19th, 

*  *  *  You  ask  me  again  if  I  occupy  myself 
much  and  seriously  ?  Not  a  moment  of  the  day  is 
wasted,  and  I  have  enough  to  read  and  to  think  about : 
what  with  the  many  and  different  papers,  and  inter- 
esting books.  Dr.  Becker  comes  daily,  and  I  have 
a  good  deal  to  look  after. 

We  have  a  dinner  to-day — Prince  and  Princess 
Charles,  Uncle  Adalbert,  Anna,  William,  and  the 
suites. 

June  23d. 

*  *  =*'  You  will  be  amused  to  hear  that  I  have 
taken  a  little  black  (a  Malay)  into  my  service.  He 
is  a  dear  good  boy,  was  brought  over  two  years  ago 
by  a  gentleman,  to  whom  he  was  given  away  by  his 
own  parents  as  a  mark  of  gratitude  for  some  service 
done.  This  man  has  had  him  here  two  years,  but 
has  never  had  him  taught  any  thing.  He  has  no  re- 
ligion, and  can  neither  read  nor  write.  I  am  going 
to  have  him  taught,  and,  later,  christened.  He  is 
very  intelligent,  thirteen  years  old. 

We  shall  remain  here  for  the  present  ;  we  go 
about  a  good  deal  seeing  things  near  by,  and  then  it 
is  the  first  time  we  have  our  household  and  stable, 
so  that  on  account  of  Haushaltung  [housekeeping], 
etc.,  we  are  going  to  remain  here  for  a  little  time. 
It  is  very  pleasant  besides,  and  constant  moving  is 
far  too  expensive  for  us.  We  give  dinners  here, 
which    are   also    useful,  as   I   know  so  few   people. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  5/ 

Some  of  the  Standesherren  are  coming  to-morrow, 
and  later  some  hi  the  Abgeordneten  [Deputies]  of 
the  Second  Chamber,  which  will  give  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  making  the  acquaintance  of  some  of  the 
Liberals  in  the  country. 

I  cannot  get  rid  of  my  rheumatism,  which  is  so 
unpleasant. 

Louis  is  very  busy  ;  he  reads  to  me  sometimes 
out  of  Lord  Macaulay's  last  volume  of  the  English 
History,  which  I  had  not  yet  read.  Twice  a  week 
Louis  takes  drill  with  his  cavalry  regiment,  and  he 
has  to  ride  out  at  six  in  the  morning,  as  it  is  some 
way  off. 

June  27th. 

*  *  *  I  bathe  every  morning  and  swim  about; 
there  is  a  nice  little  bathing-house. 

I  hear  baby  shrieking  out  of  doors ;  she  does  not 
cry  very  much,  but  she  is  very  passionate.  She 
was  vaccinated  two  days  ago  by  Dr.  Weber,  and  I 
am  going  to  be  done  next  week  ;  the  small-pox  is 
at  Darmstadt,  and  a  man  died  of  it  yesterday.  Louis 
is  very  industrious  and  busy ;  he  has  all  the  papers 
of  the  Stande  [State  papers]  to  read  and  look 
through,  and  reads  other  useful  books,  besides 
papers  and  other  things  which  he  must  read.  He 
wrote  to  Lord  Derby  to  express  his  thanks  for  hav- 
ing been  made  a  Doctor  at  Oxford.  He  takes  a 
great  deal  of  exercise,  riding,  walking,  rowing,  swim- 
ming. We  get  up  at  six  every  morning,  and  go  to 
bed  after  ten. 

Louis  has  always  a  good  deal  to  do  at  home,  and 
a  good  many  things  which  would  never  be  expected 
of  him  in  England.  He  knows  the  necessity  and 
importance  of  working.  I  hope  next  month  Uncle 
Ernest '"'  will  come  to  us  for  a  day  on  his  way  back 

*  Duke  of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. 


58  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

from  Homburg.     He  has  asked  us  for  a  few  days  to 
the  Calenberg  whilst  you  are  in  Germany,  and  then 
in  the  winter  we  hope  to  be  for  a  few  days  at  Gotha. 
The  Liitzows,*  and  Miss  Seymour  dine  with  us 

to-day. 

June  30th. 

Lady  Fife  is  at  Homburg,  and  is  coming  to  dine 
with  us.  To-morrow  all  the  family  and  some  other 
people  come  to  dinner.  We  have  seen  a  good  many 
people  ;  we  receive  in  the  morning  or  for  dinner. 

Dalwigk  gave  a  large  soiree  in  the  woods,  with 
a  supper  for  us,  last  night.  All  the  Standesherren 
and  Foreign  Ministers  were  there. 

To-morrow  is  our  dear  wedding-day.  With  what 
gratitude  do  I  look  back  to  that  commencement  of 
such  happiness,  and  such  real  and  true  love,  which 
even  daily  increases  in  my  beloved  husband.  Oh, 
may  we  not  be  deprived  of  it  too  soon  I  I  admire 
and  respect  him  for  his  true-hearted,  generous,  un- 
selfish, and  just  nature  !  Oh,  dear  Mama,  if  you 
only  knew  how  excellent  he  is  !  I  wish  I  were  good 
like  him,  for  he  is  free  from  any  selfish,  small,  or 
uncharitable  feelings.  You  should  see  how  he  is 
beloved  by  all  his  people  ;  our  servants  adore  him. 
I  open  my  heart  to  you,  who  have  so  warm  and 
sympathizing  a  heart,  that  even  in  the  midst  of  such 
deep  grief  and  sorrow  as  yours  will  listen  to  what 
your  children,  who  love  you  dearly,  long  to  say. 

Our  little  one  is  grown  so  pretty  ;  she  has  little 
pink  cheeks,  and  is  so  fat  and  so  good-humored.  I 
often  think  her  like  you  when  she  smiles. 

July  2d. 

You  can  fancy  how  much  we  thought  of  this  day 

*  Count  Lutzow  was  at  this  time  the  Austrian  Minister  and  Plenipoten- 
tiary at  the  Court  of  Darmstadt. 


IN  HER  NEW  HO  HIE.  59 

last  year,  and  of  you  and  all  the  love  and  kindness 
you  showed  us  then.  How  truly  we  both  love  you, 
and,  Avhen  we  can,  how  willingly  we  shall  come  to 
your  side,  and  be  of  the  least  use  to  you,  you  know, 
for  I  feel  for  you  and  with  you,  more  than  words  can 
describe. 

Our  first  large  dinner  yesterday  went  off  very  well. 
We  make  our  arrangements,  sitting,  etc.,  all  as  you 
and  dear  Papa  had  it,  which  is  new  here,  but  I  am 
happy  to  say,  approved  of.  We  always  dine  at  four. 
Baby  appeared  afterward,  and  really  never  cries 
when  she  is  shown,  but  smiles,  and  seems  quite 
amused.  She  is  immensely  admired,  particularly 
for  her  healthy  appearance  and  fine  large  eyes.  I 
really  think  her  like  you  now  ;  she  is  very  much 
changed,  and,  when  she  sits  up,  looks  so  pretty  and 
dear. 

To-day  we  have  again  a  dinner.  Th«re  is  a  fine 
dining-room  and  drawing-room  here,  so  that  we  can 
see  a  good  many  people. 

July  4th. 

Shortly  we  are  going  to  pay  Prince  Solms-Lich,the 
president  of  the  First  Chamber,  a  visit.  He  is  very 
liberal  on  the  whole,  rich,  and  a  nice  old  gentleman. 
He  knew  Grandpapa  in  the  year  1820,  also  Uncle 
Charles,  Uncle  Hohenlohe,  Aunt  Feodore,  and  Eliza. 
Lady  Fife,  Annie,  and  Mr.  Corbett  from  Frankfort 
are  coming  to  us  to-day. 

The  Grand  Duke  of  Weimar  was  here  yesterday 
for  dinner  at  the  Schloss. 

What  you  said  about  Germany  is  so  true  ;  and 
Louis  has  the  real  good  of  his  country  near  at  heart. 
They  always  have  to  vote  for  or  against  what  the 
Second  Chamber  brings  forward,  and  the  other  day 
a  vote  was  sent  in   from   the  Liberals  for  an  altera- 


6o  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

tion  of  a  press  law.  Only  one  voice  in  the  whole 
Chamber  was  for  it,  which  was  Louis',  and  this  pro- 
duced a  very  good  effect  among  the  Liberals.  He 
is  no  coward,  and  will  say  what  he  thinks,  if  it  is 
necessary,  even  if  all  are  against  him. 

Kranichstein,  July  15th. 

To-day  is  Uncle  Alexander's  birthday,  and  we 
have  to  drive  for  dinner  to  Seeheim.  To-morrow 
morning  we  leave  for  Lich  at  five  in  the  morning. 

Two  nights  ago  a  horrid  and  scliaucrliches  [ap- 
palling] event  took  place  here.  I  went  out  about 
eight  down  to  the  pond,  which  is  close  to  the  house, 
to  meet  Louis.  I  met  an  odd-looking  pale  man,  who 
neither  bowed  nor  lookedabout,  walking  slowly  along ; 
and  when  I  joined  Louis  he  asked  me  if  I  had  seen 
him,  as  he  had  been  prowling  about  all  the  after- 
noon. W^stopped  a  litde  longer,  when  at  the  end 
our  grooms  were  running.  We  rowed  on  to  see 
what  was  the  matter,  and  on  coming  near,  a  body 
was  floating  in  the  water,  the  face  already  quite  blue 
and  lifeless.  I  recognized  him  at  once.  Louis  and 
the  others  with  trouble  fished  him  out  and  laid  him 
in  our  boat  to  bring  him  on  shore.  It  was  very 
horrid  to  see.  We  brought  him  on  shore,  tried  all 
means  to  restore  him  to  life,  but  of  no  avail.  He 
was^  carried  into  the  stable.  He  had  committed 
suicide,  and  we  heard  afterward  that  he  was  a  very 
bad  character.  You  can  fancy  that  it  was  very  un- 
pleasant to  me,  to  have  that  disfigured  corpse  next 
me  in  the  boat ;  and  it  haunts  me  now, — for  a  vio- 
lent death  leaves  frightful  traces,  so  unlike  any  thing 
else.  But  half  or  quarter  of  an  hour  before,  I  had 
passed  that  man  in  life,  and  so  shortly  after  to  see 
him  floating  by  quite  lifeless  !  It  brings  death  be- 
fore one  in  its  worst  form,  when  one  sees  a  bad  man 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  6 1 

die  by  his  own  hand.  The  indifference  with  which 
the  other  people"  treated  it,  and  dragged  him  along, 
was  also  revolting  to  one's  feelings  ;  but  one  must  be 
manly,  and  not  mind  those  things  ;  yet  I  own  it 
made  me  rather  sick,  and  prevented  my  sleep  that 
night. 

\  am  glad  we  are  going  away  for  a  few  days  ;  the 
change  will  be  pleasant. 

It  was  such  a  pleasure  to  me  to  have  seen  dear 
Lady  Frances  Baillie  the  other  day,  and  she  was 
looking  well,  though  she  is  very  thin. 

You  kindly  gave  me  our  dear  Papa's  Farm-book 
for  the  Farmers'  Union  here  ;  the  people  are  so 
touched  and  pleased.  I  send  you  the  letter  of  thanks 
to  read. 

LiCH,  July  i8th. 

*  *  *  \,Ye  leave  to-morrow  afternoon  for  Frank- 
fort, and  the  next  day  we  go  to  Homburg  on  the 
way  home.  The  Prince  and  Princess  are  most  kind 
and  civil ;  they  have  a  fine  Schloss,  and  are  rich. 
The  latter  is  clever  and  amiable,  and  the  young  peo- 
ple— their  nephews  and  nieces — are  very  nice  and 
very  kind.  It  is  a  fine,  rich  country,  and  they  seem 
very  much  beloved.  The  sister  of  the  Princess, 
Princess  Solms-Laubach,  nee  Budingen,  is  here  also. 
Her  husband  was  in  the  Prussian  service,  and  they 
lived  at  Bonn  whilst  dear  Papa  was  there.  He  came 
to  see  them  and  to  spend  the  evening  there  very 
often.  She  told  me  how  handsome  he  then  was, 
and  how  much  praised  and  liked  by  all.  She  asked 
after  Rath  Florschiitz,*  and  Eos,"!-  and  if  dear  Papa 
continued  later  on  to  be  so  sleepy  of  an  evening, 
as  he  was  even  then. 

*  Tutor  of  the  Prince  Consort  during  his  boyhood  and  early  youth. 

f  A  favorite  greyhound  of  the  Prince  Consort's,  which  he  brought  to  En;;j- 
land  at  the  time  of  his  marriage. 


62  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Kranichstein,  July  21st. 

Our  visit  at  Lich  went  off  very  well.  Everything 
is  so  vornehm  [in  such  good  style]  and  so  well 
arranged. 

July  23d, 

We  are  going  to  give  Heinrich  *  a  rendezvous 
somewhere,  perhaps  at  Kreuznach,  which  is  not  very 
far.  On  August  1st,  we  are  going  to  the  north  of  the 
country, — a  part  which  I  do  not  know, — and  on  the 
way  we  stop  at  Giessen,  where  we  have  been  invited 
to  see  an  agricultural  exhibition.  On  Monday  we 
give  a  tea  and  a  dance — between  fifty  and  sixty 
people.  The  advantage  of  this  place  is  its  nearness 
to  Darmstadt,  and  that  there  is  room  enough  to  re- 
ceive people. 

The  Russian  and  French  ambassadors,  with  their 
wives,  and  Mr.  Corbett  and  Lord  Robert  S.  Kerr, 
dine  with  us  to-day. 

July  27t.h. 

I  have  no  news  to  give.  To-night  we  give  our 
first  large  party — seventy  people. 

August  ist. 
Yesterday  we  were  all  day  at  Rumpenheim :  so 
kindly  received  !  The  Landgrave,  his  two  brothers, 
Frederic  and  George,  the  Dowager  Duchess  of 
Mecklenburg-Strelitz,  her  daughter  Duchess  Caroline, 
Aunt  Cambridge,  Mary,  Augusta,  and  Adolphus  ; 
Fritz  and  Anna  of  Hesse  and  good  Princess  Louise, 
kindness  itself.  Aunt  Cambridge  was  very  amiable, 
and  spoke  most  tenderly  of  you.  To-morrow  morn- 
ing Louis  goes  to  Oberhessen,  where  I  join  him  in 
two  days.  I  go  to  see  Uncle  Alexander  at  Jugen- 
heim ;  go  on  Monday  to  Friedberg,  where  there  is 

*  Prince  Henry  of  Hesse,  brother  of  Prince  Louis. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  63 

an  asylum  for  blind  people,  of  which  I  am  Protectorin 
[Patroness].  I  go  to  see  it,  and  sleep  at  the  Castle. 
The  next  day  I  stop  on  my  road  to  see  Marburg, 
and  shall  be  in  the  evening  at  Alsfeld,  where  I  find 
Louis.  The  next  day  I  go  on  to  Herr  von  Riedesel 
at  Altenburg,  where  I  breakfast,  and  I  dine  and 
spend  the  night  with  another  Riedesel  family  at 
Eisenbach.  Louis  joins  me  that  evening.  The  next 
day  we  go  on  though  the  country,  as  the  people  are 
anxious  to  see  us,  and  the  country  is  very  beautiful. 
On  Thursday  and  Friday  we  shall  be  at  Giessen,  on 
Saturday  at  home. 

Giessen,  August  7th. 

I  am  very  hot  and  tired ;  we  have  only  just 
reached  this  place,  and  have  to  go  out  almost  immedi- 
ately to  see  the  animals  and  machines. 

Our  journey  has  been  most  prosperous,  but  rather 
tiring,  and  the  heat  quite  fearful.  We  were  most 
kindly  received  everywhere.  English,  Hessian, 
German  flags  everywhere,  and  Gcsangvereine  of  an 
evening. 

Last  night  we  slept  at  Schotten,  and  posted  from 
thence  to-day  through  a  lovely,  rich,  wooded,  and 
mountainous  district,  the  Vogelsberg. 

We  have  had  but  one  room  everywhere,  and 
have  remained  only  long  enough  at  a  place  to  see  it, 
so  that  writing  has  been  impossible.  To-morrow 
evening  we  return  to  Kranichstein,  and  then  I  will 
write  to  you  an  account  of  every  thing.  Here,  with 
no  time,  and  with  such  heat  and  noise,  it  is  impossible. 

Kranichstein,  August  91)1. 

*     '-'      '-'     We  went,  when  I  last  wrote  to  you  at 

Giessen,  to  see  the  different  machines  at  work,  in  a 

crowd  close  round   us  and   a   smothering  heat.     It 

was  interesting,  though,  in  spite  of  all.     The  people 


64  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

cheered  and  were  very  civil.  That  day,  at  the  meet- 
ing of  the  agriculturists,  Count  Laubach  told  me 
dear  Papa's  book  lay  on  the  table,  and  is  of  the 
greatest  use  and  interest.  I  am  so  pleased  to  have 
been  the  first  in  Germany  to  make  known  some- 
thing of  Papa's  knowledge  in  this  science,  one  of 
the  many  in  which  dear  Papa  excelled.  The  people 
are  so  grateful  to  you  for  having  sent  it.  In  the 
evening  the  president  and  some  other  scientific  gen- 
tlemen came  to  tea  with  us.  I  was  so  glad  to  see 
how  pleased  the  people  were  at  the  interest  Louis 
takes  in  these  things.  A  procession  was  really  very 
pretty ;  large  carts,  decorated  with  the  different  agri- 
cultural emblems,  peasants  in  their  different  cos- 
tumes— it  was  something  quite  new  to  me. 

At  Marburg,  I  saw  in  the  beautiful  church  the 
grave  of  St.  Elizabeth,  the  castle  where  she  lived, 
and  many  other  things  which  Kingsley  mentions  in 
his  "  Saint's  Tragedy." 

This  week  the  Emperor  of  Austria  and  other  po- 
tentates came  to  Frankfort.  The  Kino-  of  Prussia 
has  refused,  so  that  now,  as  it  is  not  a  universal 
meeting,  it  will  not  be  what  it  might  have  been. 

August  19th. 

*  *  *  The  Emperor  came  all  the  way  to 
Kranichstein  to  pay  us  a  visit,  and  is  very  amiable, 
though  not  very  talkative.  Archduke  William, 
King  Max,  and  the  Duke  of  Brunswick  were  also 
here  yesterday. 

We  saw  the  procession  to  the  Romer  from  a  small 
room,  already  filled  by  twelve  Rumpenheimers  !  It 
v.'as  a  very  interesting  sight. 

August  2ISt. 

*  *     *     This   evening  all   the   crowned   heads 


IM  HER  NEW  HOME.  65 

nearly  are  coming  to  the  opera,  and  the  Rumpen- 
heimers  very  Hkely  also.  Uncle  Ernest  comes  to  us 
for  dinner,  and  we  take  him  with  us. 

August  24th. 
*  *  *  We  dined  at  Homburg  yesterday  after- 
noon with  the  old  hereditary  Grand  Duchess  of 
Schwerin,  Louis'  great-aunt,  who  is  eighty-six,  and 
as  fresh  and  lively  as  ever.  The  Duke  of  Alten- 
burg  and  tlic  Grand  Duke  of  Schwerin  were  with  us, 
and  both  of  them  wish  to  have  their  respectful  duty 
sent  to  you. 

[During  the  months  of  September  and  October 
the    Princess    was    in  Enorland  on    a  visit   to   the 

O 

Queen.] 

Buckingham  Palack,  October  2Sth. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  lines!  How  sad 
that  we  should  be  reduced  to  writing  again  !  It  was 
such  a  happiness  to  speak  to  you,  and  in  return  to 
hear  all  )ou  had  to  say, — to  try  and  soothe  you,  and 
try  to  make  your  burden  lighter.  I  always  feel  sep- 
aration from  you  so  much,  for  I  feel  for  and  with  you, 
more,  oh,  far  more,  than  I  can  ever  express!  I  can 
only  say  again,  trust,  hope,  and  be  courageous,  and 
every  day  will  bring  something  in  the  fulfilment  of 
all  your  great  duties,  which  will  bring  you  peace, 
and  make  you  feed  that  you  are  not  forsaken,  that 
God  has  heard  your  j^rayer,  felt  for  you,  as  a  loving 
Father  would,  and  that  dear  Papa  is  not  far  from 
you. 

We  remain  here  to-night,  as  Louis  had  a  bad 
sick-headache,  toothache,  and  so  on,  and  he  must 
rest.     We  leave  to-morrow  afternoon. 

Affie    [Prince    Alfred]    and    William    (of  Hesse) 


66  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

were    very  well,  and   seem   quite   happy   together. 
Affie  sends  love,  and  William  his  respects. 

Darmstadt,  November  zd. 

Before  going  out  (half-past  six)  I  begin  these 
lines.  You  will  have  heard  what  an  awful  passage 
we  had.  Christa  and  I  had  one  of  those  cabins  near 
the  paddle-box,  and  good  old  May  "^  was  with  us. 
Each  wave  that  broke  on  the  ship  Christa  and  I 
groaned,  and  May  exclaimed  :  "  Oh,  goodness,  gra- 
cious me !  what  an  awful  sea  !  Lord  bless  you,  child, 
I  hope  it  is  all  safe  !  "  and  so  on.  If  we  had  not 
been  so  wretched,  and  had  not  looked  so  awful  with 
those  mountains  of  waves  about  us,  I  should  have 
laughed.  All  the  maids  and  Moffat  were  sick.  Baby 
was  sick  all  over  her  nice  new  shawl,  which  was 
a  great  grief. 

Uncle  Louis  and  Uncle  Gustav  received  us  at  the 
station.  My  parents-in-law  don't  return  till  Wednes- 
day. Yesterday  Uncle  Louis  gave  us  a  large  din- 
ner, and  to-day  he  dines  cnfamille  in  our  house  with 
Prince  Adalbert  of  Bavaria,  Uncle  Gustav,-}-  and 
ourselves. 

I  was  quite  done  up  by  this  journey.  At  four  in 
the  morning  we  changed  carriages  at  Cologne,  and 
did  not  get  here  till  past  twelve  o'clock — twenty-nine 
hours  under  way. 

November  5th. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  evening  Louis  and  I  were  at 
a  chemical  lecture,  which  was  very  interesting,  by 
young  Hallnachs,  the  brother  of  the  one  Becker 
spoke  to  you  about. 

Our  house  is  getting  on  very  well,  and  we  are  often 
there. 

♦Mrs.  Hull,  a  former  nurse  of  the  Princess  and  her  brothers  and  sisters. 
\  Prince  Gustav  Wasa,  first  cousin  to  Prince  Charles  of  Hesse. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  6/ 

Louis  is  very  •grateful  and  touched  by  your  kind 
message,  and  kisses  your  hand.  He  is  often  away 
for  those  tiresome  Jagden  [shooting-parties]  from 
five  in  the  morning  till  eight  at  night,  as  it  is  some 
way  off. 

November  14th. 

It  is  not  yet  eight,  and  I  have  such  cold  fingers. 
The  messenger  leaves  at  nine,  so  I  must  write  now. 
We  are  going  to  Mayence  to-day,  to  see  a  house  of 
our  architect  Kraus,  which  is  said  to  be  very  pretty 
and  very  English. 

I  paid  Becker  and  his  mother  a  visit  yesterday. 
Their  rooms  are  so  nice,  pictures  and  presents  from 
you  and  dear  Papa  in  all  directions,  remembrances  of 
past,  such  happy,  years  ! 

Yesterday  also  I  drove  baby  out  in  my  little  car- 
riage. She  sat  on  Christa's  knees  and  looked  about 
her  so  much  ;  she  went  to  sleep  at  last. 

November  17  th. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  I  was  all  the  morning  with 
Julie  Battenberg  buying  Christmas  presents.  To-day 
also  I  am  much  occupied.  We  get  up  at  seven,  with 
candles,  every  morning,  as  this  is  the  best  time 
for  doing  all  business,  and  breakfast  at  eight. 

November  21st. 

*  ^-  -X-  'pi^g  Holstein  question,  I  fear,  will  lead 
to  war.  Fritz'  '^  rights  are  so  clear.  And  I  am 
sure  all  Germany  will  help  him  to  maintain  his 
rights,  for  the  cause  is  a  just  one. 

I  am  sure,  dear  Mama,  you  are  worried  to  death 
about  it,  which  is  very  hard,  for  you  cannot  undo 
what  once  exists.  Any  tiling  only  to  avoid  war  !  It 
would  be  a  sad  calamity  for  Germany,  the  end 
of  which  no  one  can  foresee. 

*  The  late  Duke  Frederic  of  Augustenburg. 


68  FJilNCESS  ALICE. 

My  baby  has  this  morning  cut  her  first  tooth,  and 
makes  such  faces  if  one  ventures  to  touch  her  little 
mouth. 

To-day  I  am  going  to  visit  the  hospital  in  the 
town,  which  is  said  not  to  be  good  or  well  looked 
after.  I  want  to  be  able  to  do  something  for  it,  and 
hope  to  succeed,  for  the  people  have  plenty  of 
money,  only  not  the  will.  The  Burgomaster  and 
Gemeinderath  [the  Town  Councillors]  will  meet  me 
there. 

I  have  just  called  into  life  what  did  not  exist — 
that  is,  linen  to  be  lent  for  the  poor  women  in  their 
confinements,  and  which  I  hope  will  be  of  use  to 
them,  for  the  dirt  and  discomfort  is  very  great  in 
those  classes. 

November  28th. 

*  *  ^:  My  visit  to  the  hospital  was  very  inter- 
esting, and  the  air  was  good,  the  place  clean  and 
fresh.  There  were  few  people  dangerously  ill  there, 
and  they  looked  well  taken  care  of.  Air  and  water 
are  making  their  way  into  these  places  to  the  benefit 
of  mankind. 

I  was  so  much  distressed  the  other  day ;  for  the 
poor  man  who  fell  in  our  house  has  died.  He  was 
a  soldier,  and  so  respectable  and  industrious,  not 
above  twenty-four.  This  is  already  the  second  who 
has  died  in  consequence  of  a  fall. 

Our  visit  to  Carlsruhe  was  very  pleasant.  The 
Queen  [of  Prussia]  was  there,  and  we  spoke  so 
much  of  you  together.  She  enters  quite  into  all 
your  feelings,  and  perfectly  understands  all  the  sad 
trials  and  difficulties  of  your  position  in  addition  to 
your  just  and  natural  grief. 

November  3olh. 

A  few  words  of  love  and  affection  from  us  both  on 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  69 

this  dear  day — the  third  anniversary  of  the  com- 
mencement of  sril  our  happiness,  which  dear  Papa 
and  you  enabled  us  to  form. 

Those  happy  days  at  Windsor  and  those  awful 
days  the  year  after!  I  assure  you  the  season,  the 
days,  all  make  me  sad — for  the  impression  of  those 
two  years  can  never  be  wiped  out  of  my  mind.  I 
can  write  but  a  few  lines,  as  to-morrow  we  leave  for 
Amorbach,  and  to-day  I  go  with  Louis  out  shooting. 
It  is  cold  and  fine,  as  it  was  two  years  ago. 

Darling  Mama,  again  and  again  we  thank  you  and 
beloved  Papa  for  all  your  love  to  us  at  that  time. 

Amorbach,  December  2d. 

*  *  *  We  arrived  here  at  half-past  four  yes- 
terday, after  a  bitter  cold  drive  in  an  open  carriage 
over  hard  roads^  all  being  frozen,  since  ten  in  the 
morning.  The  country  we  came  through  was  beauti- 
ful, though  all  white,  up  and  down  hill  all  the  way, 
through  many  villages,  through  woods,  etc.  The 
house  is  large  and  comfortable,  full  of  souvenirs  of  dear 
Grandmama  [Duchess  of  Kent],  of  Uncle  Charles. 

I  am  so  pleased  to  be  with  Ernest  and  Marie,* 
it  is  a  bit  of  home  again. 

Darmstadt,  December  6th. 

*  *  *  Our  visit  to  Amorbach  was  so  pleasant, 
though  the  weather  was  bad.  I  was  so  happy  to  be 
once  more  with  Ernest  and  Marie.  Edward  f  was 
very  amusing  and  good-natured.  I  saw  poor  old 
Wagner, J  who  wishes  me  to  send  you  his  duty. 

December  8th. 

*  *     *     Think,    only    yesterday  evening    at   a 

*  Prince  and  Princess  of  Leiningen.  f  Prince  Leiningen's  brother. 

\  Former  tutor  to  Prince  Leiningen's  father. 


70  P/HNCESS  ALICE. 

concert  the}^  played  "  Ruy  Bias,"  which  I  had  not 
heard  since  Windsor.  The  room,  the  band,  dear 
Papa,  all  came  before  me,  and  made  my  heart  sink 
at  the  thought  that  that  belong-ed  to  the  bright  recol- 
lections of  the  past !  I  cried  all  the  way  home. 
Such  trivial  things  sometimes  awaken  recollections 
more  vividly,  and  hurt  more  keenly,  than  scenes  of 
real  distress.     I  am  sure  you  know  what  I  mean. 

December  12th. 

♦  :s:  :i:  J  ^lust;  close  \  my  tears  fall  fast,  and  I 
ought  not  to  make  you  sadder,  when  you  are  sad 
enough  already.  Pray  for  me  when  you  kneel  at 
his  grave — pray  that  my  happiness  may  be  allowed 
to  last  long  ;  think  of  me  when  you  kneel  there  where 
on  that  day  my  hand  rested  on  your  and  Papa's  dear 
hands,  two  years  ago.  That  bond  between  us  both 
is  so  strong,  beloved  Mama.  I  feel  it  as  a  legacy  from 
him. 

December  22d. 

A  great  pleasure  I  have  had  in  arranging  a  tree  for 
our  good  servants.  I  bought  all  the  things  myself  at 
the  market,  and  hung  them  on  the  tree  ;  then  I  also 
got  things  for  darling  Louis. 

December  26th. 

:•:  :!:  :•:  "^Ve  all  had  trecs  in  one  large  room  in 
the  Palace,  and  our  presents  underneath  it  looked 
extremely  pretty.  Uncle  Alexander's  five  children 
were  there,  and  made  such  a  noise  with  their  play- 
things. 

Baby  had  a  little  tree  early  at  her  Grandpapa  and 
Grandmama's,  with  all  her  pretty  things. 

Many  thanks  for  the  turkey-pie  ;  we  give  a  dinner 
to-day  in  honor. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  J I 

1864. 

The  year  1864  was  a  most  eventful  one  for  Ger- 
many. After  a  severe  struggle,  the  Duchies  of 
Schleswig-Holstein  were  wrested  from  the  control  of 
the  German  Confederation  or  Diet  at  Frankfort,  and 
occupied  by  Austrian  and  Prussian  troops.  The 
Princess'  own  life  that  year  was  full  of  joyful  events, 
and  no  cloud  of  sorrow  came  to  disturb  her  hap- 
piness. 

The  marriage  of  Princess  Anna  of  Hesse,  which 
took  place  on  the  12th  of  May,  was  a  cause  of  great 
rejoicing  to  the  family. 

During  the  first  months  of  the  year  the  Prince  and 
Princess  paid  several  short  visits  to  Gotha,  Carlsruhe, 
and  Munich,  and  in  the  summer  spent  three  happy 
months  in  England. 

On  their  return  to  Germany  they  received  numer- 
ous guests  at  Kranichstein.  But  in  spite  of  the  many 
social  duties  and  distractions  in  which  the  Princess 
took  an  active  part,  she  never  lost  sight  of  more 
serious  duties  and  pursuits.  She  became  the  "  Pro- 
tectress "  of  the  "  Heidenreich  Institution  for  Lying- 
in  Women,"  which  was  the  beginning  of  the  active 
interest  afterward  taken  by  her  in  all  sanitary  im- 
provements. This  interest  was  heightened  by  the 
birth  of  her  second  daughter,  who  was  born  on  the 
ist  of  November,  1864,  and  christened  on  the  28th 
of  that  month,  receiving  the  names  of  EHzabeth 
Alexandra  Louise  Alice.  The  Princess  was  very 
proud  of  being  able  to  nurse  her  child  herself,  and 


72  FJilA'CESS  ALICE. 

from  this  time  she  took  up  with  the  keenest  interest 
all  questions  relating  to  the  physical,  mental,  and 
moral  training  of  children.  She  found  an  able  sup- 
porter and  independent  adviser  in  Dr.  Weber,  a  very 
eminent  medical  man,  resident  at  Darmstadt. 

January  5th. 

*  *  *  The  cold  here  is  awful.  I  skated  yes- 
terday, and  to-day  we  are  going  to  the  pond  at 
Kranichstein.  (Very  few  people  skate  here — only 
one  lady,  and  she  very  badly.)  Baby  only  goes  out 
for  half  an  hour  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  well 
wrapped  up.  It  would  not  do  to  keep  her  quite  at 
home,  as  she  would  become  so  sensitive  when  first 
taken  out  again.  Of  course  when  it  is  windy  or  too 
cold  she  stops  in. 

January  9th. 
I  was  aghast  on  receiving  Bertie's  telegram  this 
morning  announcing  the  birth  of  their  little  son.  Oh, 
may  dear  Papa's  blessing  rest  on  the  little  one ;  may 
it  turn  out  like  dear  Papa,  and  be  a  comfort  and  a 
pride  to  you,  and  to  its  young  parents  !  Your  first 
English  grandchild.  Dear  Mama,  my  heart  is  so 
full.     May  dear  Alix  and  the  baby  only  go  on  well ! 

January   i6th. 

*  *  *  Baby  says  "  Papa,"  "  Mama,"  and  yester- 
day several  times  "  Louis."  She  imitates  every  thing 
she  hears,  all  noises  and  sounds  ;  she  gets  on  her 
feet  alone  by  a  chair,  and  is  across  the  room  b^ffore 
one  can  turn  round.  Her  adoration  for  Louis  is 
touching.  She  stops  always,  since  the  summer, 
alone  in  our  room,  so  she  never  cries  for  Moftat  [her 
nurse],  and  is  very  happy  on  the  floor  with  her  play- 
things.    She  is  a  very  dear  little  thing  and  gets  on 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  73 

very  fast,  but  equally  in  all  things,  and  is  as  fat  as 
she  was.  It  is  so  interesting  to  watch  the  progress 
and  development  of  such  a  little  being  ;  ancl  baby  is 
so  expressive,  she  makes  such  a  face  when  she  is  not 
pleased,  and  laughs  so  heartily  when  she  is  con- 
tented. She  is  more  like  a  child  of  two  years  old  a 
great  deal. 

Goth  A,  January  2  2d. 
After  a  very  cold  journey  we  arrived  here  on 
Wednesday  afternoon.  I  found  dear  uncle  and 
aunt  well,  Leopoldine  (who  is  very  dear  ancl  nice) 
and  Hermann,*  Edward  and  Marie  Leiningen,  and 
Prince  Lowenstein  here.  Only  Hermann  and  Leo- 
poldine live  in  the  Castle  besides  us  ;  the  others  are 
all  at  uncle's  house. 

January  30th. 
*  :•::  *  These  poor  Schleswig-Holsteiners  do 
what  they  can  to  liberate  themselves  from  the  Danish 
yoke,  and  to  regain  their  lawful  sovereign,  Fritz. 
And  why  is  England,  who  stands  up  for  freedom  of 
countries,  who  in  Italy,  where  there  was  less  cause, 
did  what  she  could  to  liberate  the  country  from  her 
lawful  sovereigns,  to  do  what  she  can  to  prevent  the 
Schleswig-Holsteiners  from  liberating  themselves 
from  a  king  who  has  no  right  over  them,  merely  be- 
cause they  are  unfortunate  good-natured  Germans, 
who  allow  themselves  to  be  oppressed  ? 

February  5th, 
In   the   distance,  dear   Mama,  one   really   cannot 
judge   correcdy  of  reasons    for    or    against    things, 
when   one  does  not  exactly  know  how  every  thing 
stands. 

*  Prince  and  Princess  Hermann  of  IIohenlohe-Langenburg. 


74  FJilNCESS  ALICE. 

February  14th. 

*  *  *  We  have  been  in  sledges  to-day,  and 
everybody  drives  about  tlie  town  with  them  ;  it  sounds 
so  pretty,  all  the  jingling  bells. 

*  *  *  Shakespeare's  words  came  home  to 
him — 

Uneasy  lies  the  head  that  wears  a  crown. 

Thank  God,  my  husband  has  none  !  I  thank  the 
Almighty  daily  for  our  peaceful  homely  life,  in  which 
sphere  we  can  do  a  good  deal  of  good  to  our  fellow- 
creatures,  without  having  to  mix  in  those  hateful 
politics. 

Our  life  is  a  very,  very  happy  one.  I  have  noth- 
ing on  earth  to  wish  for,  and  much  as  I  loved  my 
precious  Louis  when  I  married  him,  still  more  do  I 
love  him  now  and  daily  ;  for  his  character  is  worthy 
of  love  and  respect,  and  a  better  husband  or  father, 
a  more  unselfish  and  kind  one,  there  does  not  live. 
His  love  for  you,  you  know  ;  and  on  our  return 
how  glad  we  shall  be  to  be  near  you  once  more. 

February  i6th. 
Louis  is  in  the  Chamber  to-day  from  nine  till  one, 
long  enough  at  a  stretch,  and  immediately  after 
breakfast.  We  always  breakfast  at  eight ;  then 
Louis  sees  the  three  officers  who  come  every  morn- 
ing on  his  military  business,  then  Westerweller  and 
all  others  who  have  business.  We  usually  walk  be- 
fore luncheon,  which  is  at  twelve;  and  often  drive  at 
two  or  three.  At  five  we  dine  ;  at  half-past  six, 
theatre,  four  times  a  week,  till  half-past  nine  ;  then 
we  take  tea  toQ^ether,  Louis  reads  to  me,  and  I 
work.  On  other  week-days  there  are  concerts  or 
parties.  We  are  often  in  our  new  house,  and  in  the 
garden,  arranging  things  and  watching  the  progress. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  75 

We  also  go  to  .lectures  here,  and  are  much  occupied, 
which  makes  the  day  pass  so  quickly. 

,.  ■  March  ist. 

I  have  learned  much  since  I  married,  and,  above 
all,  not  to  be  dependent  on  others  in  my  existence. 
To  be  able  to  make  a  bright  and  comfortable  home 
for  my  dear  husband  is  my  constant  aim  ;  but  even 
in  this  one  often  fails,  for  self  constantly  turns  up, 
like  a  bad  sixpence.  Oh,  how  dear  Papa  spoke 
about  that !  His  whole  noble  life  was  that  one  bright 
example  of  sacrificing  himself  to  his  duty.  Dear, 
adored  Papa !  such  goodness,  such  love,  when  one 
thinks  of  it,  must  silence  all  complaints  of  petty 
troubles  in  the  mouths  of  his  children  and  servants. 
You,  dear  Mama,  are  the  one  who  suffers  the 
most,  though  this  awful  loss  has  touched  all  ;  and  to 
soothe  your  grief  and  to  help  you  lightens  one's 
own. 

March  5  th. 

*  *  *  Spring  always  makes  me  so  wcJmiiithig 
[sad],  I  don't  know  why  ;  one  longs  for  every  thing 
and  any  thing  which  is  out  of  one's  reach. 

I  will  tell  you  of  something  I  did  the  other  day  ;  but 
please  tell  no  one,  because  not  a  soul  but  Louis  and 
my  ladies  know  of  it  here.  I  am  the  patroness  of 
the  "  Heidcnreich  Stiftung,"  to  which  you  also  gave 
a  handsome  present  in  the  beginning.  The  ladies 
who  belong  to  it  go  to  bring  linen  to  poor  respect- 
able Wochnerinnen  [women  in  child-bed],  who  claim 
their  assistance.  They  bring  them  food,  and,  in 
short,  help  them.  All  cases  are  reported  to  me. 
The  other  day  I  went  to  one  incog,  with  Christa,  in 
the  old  part  of  the  town— and  the  trouble  we  had  to 
find  the  house !  At  length,  through  a  dirty  court- 
yard, up  a  dark  ladder  into   one  little  room,  where 


•^6  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

lay  in  one  bed  the  poor  woman  and  her  baby  ;  in 
the  room  four  other  children,  the  husband,  two  other 
beds,  and  a  stove.  But  it  did  not  smell  bad,  nor  was 
it  dirty.  I  sent  Christa  down  with  the  children,  then 
.with  the  husband  cooked  something"  for  the  woman  ; 
arranged  her  bed  a  little,  took  her  baby  for  her, 
bathed  its  eyes — for  they  were  so  bad,  poor  little 
thing! — and  did  odds  and  ends  for  her.  I  went 
twice.  The  people  did  not  know  me,  and  were  so 
nice,  so  good  and  touchingly  attached  to  each  other  ; 
it  did  one's  heart  good  to  see  such  good  feelings  in 
poverty.  The  husband  was  out  of  work,  the  chil- 
dren too  young  to  go  to  school,  and  they  had  only 
four  kreuzers  in  the  house  when  she  was  confined. 

Think  of  that  misery  and  discomfort ! 

If  one  never  sees  any  poverty,  arid  always  lives 
in  that  cold  circle  of  Court  people,  one's  good  feel- 
ings dry  up,  and  I  felt  the  want  of  going  about  and 
doing  the  little  good  that  is  in  my  power.  I  am 
sure  you  will  understand  this. 

March  14th. 

My  own  Dear  precious  Mama: — These  words  are 
for  the  1 6th,  the  first  hard  trial  of  our  lives,  where  I 
was  allowed  to  be  with  you.  Do  you  recollect  when 
all  was  over  [death  of  the  Duchess  of  Kent],  and 
dear  Papa  led  you  to  the  sofa  in  the  colonnade,  and 
then  took  me  to  you  ?  I  took  that  as  a  sacred  re- 
quest from  him  to  love,  cherish,  and  comfort  my  darl- 
ing mother  to  all  the  extent  of  my  weak  powers. 
Other  things  have  taken  me  from  being  constantly 
with  you  ;  but  nothing  has  lessened  my  intense  love 
for  you,  and  longing  to  quiet  every  pain  which 
touches  you,  and  to  fulfil,  even  in  the  distance,  his 
request. 

Oh,  darling  Mama,  were  there  words  in  which  I 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  yj 

could  express  to  you  how  much  I  am  bound  up  with 
you,  how  constantly  my  thoughts  and  prayers  are 
yours,  I  would  write  them.  The  sympathies  of  our 
souls  can  only  tell  each  other  how  tender  my  love 
and  gratitude  to  you  is,  and  how  vividly  I  feel  every 
new  trial  or  new  thing  with  you  and  for  you.  *  *  ^ 
I  was  with  another  poor  woman,  even  worse  off, 
this  morning,  and  on  the  third  day  she  was  walking 
in  the  room  and  nearly  fainted  from  weakness, 
Those  poor  people ! 

March  26th. 

*  -sf  *  Yesterday  morning  at  nine  we  took  the 
Sacrament — all  the  family  and  congregation  together. 
The  others  then  stopped  for  the  rest  of  the  service, 
till  after  eleven.  I  went  hom.e  and  returned  for  the 
English  service  at  twelve.  At  half-past  six,  in  the 
Stadtkirche,  Bach's  "  Passion  "  was  given. 

April  5  th. 

To-day  is  Victoria's  birthday.  What  a  day  it  was 
this  time  last  year  !  Baby  has  her  table  in  the  room 
next  to  my  sitting-room.  Uncle  Louis  and  the  rest 
of  the  family  expected  to  breakfast  with  us  at 
twelve. 

Munich,  April  nth. 

*  '•■  *  To-day,  for  the  first  time  since  the  King's 
death,*  the  Queen  and  we  all  with  our  Gefolge 
[suite]  dined  in  the  Winter  Garden.  It  seemed  to 
try  her  very  much,  but  she  is  so  wonderfully  quiet 
that  she  scarcely  shows  it.  I  was  three  hours  with 
her  yesterday  evening.  She  spoke  so  kindly  of  you 
and  with  such  sympathy  and  interest,  and  said,  when 
dear  Papa  died,  she  had  prayed  for  you  so  much. 

*  King  Maximilian  II.  of  Bavaria  had    died  on  the  loth  of  the  preceding 
month  of  March.     The  Queen  is  a  sister  of  Prince  Louis'  mother. 


78  FHINCESS  ALICE. 

Munich,  April  13th. 

*  *  *  Between  sight-seeing,  and  going  to  the 
Queen's  room,  and  being  with  her,  I  have  not  a  mo- 
ment scarcely  to  rest  or  write.  Yesterday  we  visited 
the  whole  Schloss  full  of  frescoes,  and  the  studios 
of  all  the  famous  painters — so  interesting.  How  dear 
Papa  would  have  enjoyed  it !  I  was  thinking  the 
whole  time  what  he  would  have  thought  of  certain 
pictures,  and  how  much  he  would  have  admired 
some.  But  at  all  times  seeing  things,  and  most  of 
all  pictures,  is  fatiguing. 

Darmstadt,  April  21st, 

*  '^'  '^  On  Monday  Louis  goes  into  the  coun- 
try to  shoot  capercailzies  \_Atierhahne].  I  accom- 
pany him  part  of  the  way,  but  stop  at  Schweinsberg 
with  Christa's  parents.  The  air  is  very  good  there, 
and  we  thought  the  country  would  do  me  good. 

=s=  :i:  *  \Yg  si-^^ii  leave  probably  later  [for  Eng- 
land], after  or  just  before  your  birthday.  We  have 
a  great  deal  to  do  in  London  for  our  house,  for  which 
I  should  want  a  week  ;  and  from  Windsor  to  leave 
you  for  a  whole  week  I  should  not  like,  and  to  go  up 
constantly  is  rather  tiring. 

We  go  from  Mayence  to  Rotterdam  by  steamer, 
from  thence  by  rail  to  Antwerp,  and  then  wait 
for  good  weather  to  cross,  so  that  we  shall  be  long 
under  way,  but  quite  easily  and  comfortably. 

April  25th, 

*  *  *  We  shall  leave  the  week  of  your  birth- 
day. Louis  wishes  us  to  have  a  full  fortnight  in 
London. 

Schweinsberg,  April  28th. 

*  *  *  This  is  a  charming  country  house,  in  a 
lovely  healthy  country  ;  the  air  has  already  done  me 


IN  HER   NEW  HOME.  79 

much  good.  Christa's  parents  are  charming,  clever 
people,  and  the  life  is  quiet  and  refreshing.  On 
Saturday  I  expect  Louis,  and  then  we  shall  go 
home. 

Darmstadt,  May  14th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter,  and  above  all  for 
your  great  kindness  about  the  ships,  for  which  I 
thank  you  many  times. 

Christa  and  Becker  wrote  an  account  of  the  wed- 
ding, *  so  I  won't  write  any  more  about  it  save  that 
it  went  off  very  well  and  was  very  vornehin  and  well- 
arranged.     *     *     * 

I  have  borne  the  fatigues  well ;  but  two  days 
before,  for  two  days  and  one  night,  I  was  very  unwell. 
*  *  *  Dr.  Weber  is  a  clever  man,  and  is 
vielseitig  [many-sided]  in  his  views  on  medicine  and 
treatment  of  illnesses.     I  think  you  will  like  him. 

Baby  runs  alone  through  two  rooms  without  fall- 
ing now  ;  she  learnt  it  in  a  week.  She  will  amuse 
you  so  much.  Yesterday  Louis  drove  me  and  his 
two  brothers  in  a  break,  and  baby  went  with  us  much 
enchanted. 

May  17th. 

*  *  *  To-morrow  afternoon  Fritz  and  Anna 
leave.  To-day  the  town  gives  a  large  ball,  to  which 
we  all  go,  and  before  it  there  is  a  dinner  at  the 
Schloss. 

May  2ist. 

*  *  *  It  is  excessively  hot,  which  makes  me 
so  tired  and  weak.  I  am  sure  you  suffered  dread- 
fully from  the  heat. 

The  parting  from  Anna  three  days  ago  was  dread- 
ful ;  she  so  distressed,  and  her  parents  also.     ^'     *     '^' 

*  Of  the  Princess  Anna  of  Hesse  with  the  Grand  Duke  of  Mecklenburg- 
Schwerin. 


8o  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

They  begin  their  old  age  alone,  so  to  say,  for  there 
are  no  children  in  their  house  any  more.  It  makes 
us  both  very  sad  to  leave  them,  and  seems  so  unfeel- 
ing; but  we  shall  return  to  them  soon.  What  a 
blessing  that  you  have  Beatrice  and  two  brothers,  still 
boys  ;  and  yet,  for  one  alone  what  an  anxiety ! 

Marlborough  House,  May  26th. 

Arrived  here  at  half- past  eleven,  and  quite  rested. 
I  at  once  write  to  you  to  thank  you  for  your  letter 
and  for  the  great  comfort  of  the  ships.  I  feel  so 
much  better  already  from  the  air  on  the  Rhine  those 
two  days,  and  the  fresh  sea  air,  that  I  have  borne  the 
journey  this  way  with  but  little  fatigue.  I  find 
Bertie  and  Alix  both  looking  well,  and  the  baby 
so  pretty  and  dear. 

1  slept  during  the  whole  night  passage,  as  I  went 
to  bed  early.  I  had  about  twelve  hour's  sleep, 
which  has  completely  set  me  up.  Louis  is  paying 
visits.  We  have  lunched,  and  in  the  afternoon  Bertie 
and  Alix  have  promised  to  call  on  Lady  Augusta  and 
Dean  Stanley,  and  we  join  them.  Aunt  Cambridge 
and  Mary  we  shall  see  afterward. 

[From  May  to  August  the  Princess  was  in  Eng- 
land on  a  visit  to  the  Queen.] 

Kranichstein,  August  30th. 
*  *  *  I  have  stood  the  journey  well,  though  I  am 
rather  fatigued.  It  is  very  warm.  Louis  is  off  to 
Jugenheim.  I  am  to  go  there  to-morrow,  and  it 
takes  my  whole  day,  as  it  is  so  far.  I  have  seen 
none  of  the  family  yet.  I  was  so  distressed  to  part 
from  dear  Ernest  and  Marie,  they  were  so  dear  and 
good  all  along  the  journey.  The  weather  was  beau- 
tiful and  the  passage  good. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  8 1 

September  2d. 

*  *  *  I  am  so  glad  that,  from  all  accounts,  every- 
thing'went  off  so  very  well  at  Perth*;  it  must  have 
been  most  trying  to  you,  and  yet  satisfactory.  We 
read  all  the  accounts  you  kindly  sent  us  with  much 
interest. 

*  *  "^''  The  Emperor  [of  Russia]  with  his  second 
and  third  sons  arrived  yesterday.  We  saw  him  at 
the  station  at  Darmstadt,  but  did  not  join  them  as 
the  rest  of  the  family  did.  We  go  to  Jugenheim  to- 
day and  baby  with  us,  as  little  Serge, f  who  is  just 
Beatrice's  age,  has  such  a  passion  for  her.  The 
children  are  very  nice,  the  two  older  sons  very  big. 
Uncle  Gustav  is  here,  which  makes  me  think  of  you 
here  this  time  last  year. 

September  13th. 

*  *  "^  Two  days  ago  we  had  intense  heat,  and 
since  great  cold — the  two  extremes  constantly, 
which  is  so  unwholesome.  The  Emperor  is  very 
grateful  for  your  message,  and  sends  his  best  re- 
membrance. *  *  ■^"  There  were  seven  young  men 
to  dinner  yesterday,  and  your  glass  was  used  for  the 
first  time  and  looked  so  pretty. 

September  17th. 

*  *  "  The  Emperor  and  Empress  [of  Russia]  be- 
fore leaving  took  a  most  tender  farewell  of  us,  and 
she  gave  me  their  Order.  They  return  to  Darm- 
stadt on  the  27th  for  a  fortnight,  as  it  is  now  settled 
that  the  Empress  is  to  spend  the  winter  at  Nice,  and 
she  may  not  go  there  till  the  beginning  of  October 
at  the  soonest,  as  it  would  be  too  warm. 

"      *     =:=     We  are  in  the  middle  of  the  second  vol- 

*  The  unveiling  of  a  statue  of  the  Prince  Consort. 
f  Grand  Duke  Serge. 


82  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

ume  of  Froude,*  but  it  is  too  detailed  to  interest 
you  ;  you  have  far  too  much  to  do  to  be  interested 
in  it.  *  *  ''^  Robertson's  beautiful  sermons  we 
have  also  read  together,  and  I  have  discovered 
that  a  German  translation  exists,  and  have  ordered 
one. 

Mrs.  Hardinge  f  leaves  me  the  end  of  this  month, 
I  am  sorry  to  say  ;  for  she  is  very  nice,  discreet,  and 
ready  to  do  any  thing,  and  not  at  all  of  the  present 
bad  English  ^^;2r^. 

September  20th. 

*  *  *  What  you  say  about  the  poor  sisters, 
and  indeed  of  all  the  younger  ones,  is  true.  The  little 
brothers  and  Beatrice  are  those  who  have  lost  the 
most,  poor  little  things  !  I  can't  bear  to  think  of  it, 
for  dear  Papa,  more  peculiarly  than  any  other  father, 
was  wanted  for  his  children  ;  and  he  was  the  dear 
friend,  and  even  playfellow,  besides.  Such  a  loss  as 
ours  is  indeed  unique.  Time  only  increases  its 
magnitude,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  want  is  felt 
more  keenly. 

*  *  *  I  was  yesterday  in  our  little  house, 
arranging  and  clearing  out  the  rooms.  We  shall 
have  very  close  quarters,  but  it  will  not  be  un- 
comfortable. 

'='  '•'  '='  I  often  wish  dear  Papa  could  have  seen 
what  a  treasure  I  have  in  my  darling  ;  but  I  am  sure 
he  does  see  it,  and  his  blessing  with  yours  rests  on  us, 
for  we  seem  not  separated  from  either  of  you,  our 
life  is  so  interwoven  with  yours. 

Where  people  are  unselfish,  loving,  good,  and  in- 

*  The  History  of  England  from  the  Fall  of  Wolsey  to  the  Death  of 
Elizabeth. 

f  Wife  of  General  the  Hon.  Arthur  Hardinge,  who  was  on  a  visit  to  the 
Princess. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  83 

dustrious,  like  my  dear  Louis,  I  always  feel  a  certain 
likeness  beginning  to  grow  up  with  our  dear  angel 
Fatlier !  Don't  you?  Oh,  may  we  all  only  become 
like  him!  I  struggle  so  hard,  dear  Mama,  in  the 
many  little  trials  1  daily  have,  to  become  more  like 
him.  My  trials  melt  away  when  I  think  of  you, 
and  I  wish  I  were  ereat  and  stronor  to  be  able  to 
bear  some  of  your  great  trials  for  you.  Dear  Mama, 
how  I  love  you!  how  we  both  love  you,  and  would 
shield  you  with  our  love  from  all  new  blows  and  trials, 
you  know.  God  comfort  you  !  My  heart  is  often 
too  full  to  say  all  that  is  in  it ;  to  tell  you  all  my  love 
and  devotion,  for  your  own  precious  sake,  and  for 
dear  Papa's,  who  left  you  as  a  legacy  to  us  all  to  love 
and  to  cherish  for  him. 

September  23d. 

To-morrow  Louis,  I,  and  my  two  ladies,  take  the 
sacrament  in  the  little  church  here.  I  wished  much 
to  take  it  before  my  hour  of  trial  comes.  Dear 
Louis  read  to  me  yesterday  evening  Robertson's 
sermon  on  the  "  Sympathy  of  Christ." 

We  have  fine  autumn  weather,  and  I  am  out  as 
much  as  I  can.  '^'  *"'  '^'  I  sleep  well  and  break- 
fast always  at  half-past  eight  ;  we  dine  at  two,  and 
take  supper  at  eight,  then  my  ladies  read  aloud,  and 
I  work  or  Christa  plays,  Louis  reads  his  papers,  etc. 
To  myself  I  read  Lord  Malmesbury's  "  Memoirs," 
which  are  very  curious,  and  when  Louis  has  time  he 
reads  Froude  to  me. 

Kranichstein,  October  4th. 

4c-     *     *     To-morrow  dear  Uncle  Leopold  [King 

of  the  Belgians]  comes  for  a  few  hours.     Louis  will 

go  to  Darmstadt  or  Maycnce  to  meet  him,  and  I  will 

receive  him  at  the  station,  as  none  of  the  family  know 


84  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

him.  Louis  is  out  shooting  with  the  Emperor. 
Uncle  Alexander's  throat  has  already  begun  to  be 
bad  again. 

*  *  ■^'  I  am  writing  quite  a  confused  letter  in 
the  midst  of  household  troubles,  for  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  have  just  let  me  know  that  they  wish 
to  breakfast  here,  and  Louis  is  out,  and  I  don't  know 
where  or  how  to  have  the  things  in  our  small  menage. 
I  must  therefore  conclude  and  do  my  business. 

October  7th. 

->j  ^:-  --k  J  j^^(-|  the  pleasure  of  seeing  dear  Uncle 
two  days  ago  looking  wonderfully  well,  and  kind  and 
dear  as  ever.  %  ^  ^  To-day  I  must  go  to  a 
large  family  dinner.  Fritz  and  Anna  of  Hesse, 
Grand  Duchess  Marie,  and  Prince  and  Princess 
William  of  Baden,  besides  ourselves,  the  family,  and 
the  Emperor  and  Empress. 

Darmstadt,  October  14th. 

We  are  at  length  here,  in  great  disorder,  and  I 
have  been  waiting  half  an  hour  only  for  a  pen  to  be 
found.  I  am  tired  and  not  very  well.  ^*  *  * 
Augusta  [Lady  Augusta  Stanley]  being  with  you  I 
am  very  glad  of,  and  she  must  be  such  a  comfort  to 
you,  for  besides  being  such  a  friend,  she  has  that 
peculiar  charm  of  manner  which  all  the  Bruces  possess. 

October  21st. 

"''  *  *  I  am  so  grieved  about  poor  Louise ; 
she  will  want  much  care  and  attention. 

Lady  Car.  [Caroline  Barrington]  is  here  since 
yesterday  evening  to  my  great  delight,  and  is  not 
looking  the  worse  for  her  journey. 

October  29th. 

*  *  *  To-morrow  we  expect  Vicky  and  Fritz 
[Crown    Prince  and   Princess   of   Prussia]    for   two 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  85 

hours,  and  later  Bertie  and  Alix  on  their  way  back 
from  Amorbachr  for  a  few  hours.  I  shall  be  delighted 
to  sea  them. 

October  31st. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  we  had  the  pleasure  of  hav- 
ing dear  Vicky  and  Fritz  and  baby  here  for  two 
hours,  the  former  well  and  in  such  good  looks,  as  I 
have  not  seen  her  for  long.  The  baby  is  a  love,  and 
very  pretty.  We  were  very  glad  after  a  year's  sep- 
aration to  meet  again,  and  Vicky  was  so  dear  and 
loving.  I  alwa)s  admire  her  understanding  and 
brightness  each  time  I  see  her  again  ;  and  Fritz  so 
good,  so  excellent.  Bertie  and  Alix  we  expect  in  a 
day  or  two  for  a  short  visit.  It  is  very  cold,  but 
not  unpleasant.     I  go  out  twice  a  day. 

Darmstadt,  November  7th. 

*  *  *  The  little  daughter  *  was  but  a  momen- 
tary disappointment  to  us,  which  we  have  quite  got 
over.  We  console  ourselves  with  the  idea  that  the 
little  pair  will  look  very  pretty  together. 

November  20th. 

*  *  '"  We  are  both  very  much  pleased  at  the 
arrangements  about  Brown  and  your  pony,  and  I 
think  it  is  so  sensible.  I  am  sure  it  will  do  you 
good,  and  relieve  a  little  the  monotony  of  your  out- 
of-door  existence,  besides  doing  your  nerves  good. 
I  had  long  wished  you  would  do  something  of  the 
kind  ;  for,  indeed,  only  driving  is  not  wholesome. 
*  ^'  "*  I  have  had  two  drives,  which  have  done  me 
good.  "  *  *  ]y[y  mother-in-law  has  been  kind- 
ness itself  all  along — so  attentive  and  yet  so  discreet. 
I  can't  be  grateful  enough.  My  good  father-in-law 
also.     '^     "     '''     Louis'  mother  is  to  be  godmother, 

*The  Princess  Elizabath  was  born  on  the  ist  of  November,  1864. 


86  FRIXCESS  ALICE. 

because  it  is  customary  here  to  ask  some  one  of  the 
name  the  child  is  to  receive  to  stand  on  the  occasion. 
We  Hked  Elizabeth  on  account  of  St.  Elizabeth 
being  the  ancestress  of  the  Hessian  as  well  as  the 
Saxon  House. 

November  26th. 

*  *  *  We  probably  go  to  Carlsruhe  on  Wed- 
nesday, the  only  place  we  can  well  go  to  near  by  ; 
we  can't  take  an  inn  at  Baden  or  any  thing  of  that 
sort,  and  we  only  go  for  a  week  or  ten  days  at  most. 
*  *  *  I  am  very  well  and  very  careful  ;  all  peo- 
ple say  I  look  better,  and  have  more  color  than  I 
have  had  for  long,  and,  indeed,  I  feel  strong  and 
well,  and  my  fat  baby  does  perfectly,  and  is  a  great 
darling.  Affie  and  Louis  and  his  brother  are  out 
shooting.  The  horrid  weather  has  kept  me  in  these 
three  days. 

November  29th, 

*  *  *  I  ought  to  mention  the  christening. 
My  mother-in-law  held  baby  all  the  time,  and  it 
screamed  a  good  deal.  Victoria  stood  with  us  and 
was  very  good,  only  kneeling  down  and  tumbling 
over  the  footstool  every  two  minutes,  and  she  kept 
whispering  to  me,  "  Go  to  Uncle's."  I  thought  so 
much  of  the  christening  last  year,  when  Victoria  be- 
haved much  better  than  her  larger  dark  sister.  Ella 
measured  twenty-three  and  a  half  inches  a  fortnight 
ago,  and  she  had  not  grown  then.  Victoria,  I  be- 
lieve, was  twenty  inches. 

Carlsruhe,  December  5th. 

*  *  *  Dear  Dr.  Macleod  is  coming  with  Affie  to 
Darmstadt  for  the  14th.  Vicky  and  Fritz  will  be 
with  us  also.  How  kind  of  him  to  come,  and  it  has 
made  Affie  so  happy,  for  he  is  so  devoted  to  him. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  8/ 

Darmstadt,  December  loih. 

*  *  *  We  returned  here  yesterday,  after  a  very 
pleasant  stay  at  Carlsruhe.  It  was  very  quiet,  and 
we  were  always  en  famille.  We  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking"  much  with  Fritz,  who  is  in  every 
way  so  distinguished,  and  dear  Louise  is  so  good 
and  kind. 

I  have  very  little  time  to  write  to-day,  as  we  ar- 
rived late  last  night.  Louis  has  to  be  absent  to-day, 
so  I  have  a  great  deal  to  do. 

December  15th. 

I  had  not  a  moment  to  myself  to  write  to  you 
yesterday,  and  to  thank  you  for  the  kind  lines  you 
sent  me  through  dear  Dr.  Macleod.  He  gave  us  a 
most  beautiful  service,  a  sermon  giving  an  outline  of 
dear  Papa's  noble,  great  and  good  character,  and 
there  were  most  beautiful  allusions  to  you  in  his 
prayer,  in  which  we  all  prayed  together  most 
earnestly  for  you,  precious  Mama  ! 

We  talked  lonof  tosfether  afterward  about  dear 
Papa,  and  about  you,  and  though  absent  were  very 
near  you  in  thought  and  prayer. 

Dear  Vicky  talked  so  lovingly  and  tenderly  of 
you,  and  of  how  homesick  she  sometimes  felt.  She 
was  not  with  us  on  that  dreadful  day  three  years 
ago,  and  that  is  so  painful  to  her.  Dear  Affie  was, 
as  we  all  were,  so  much  overcome  by  all  Dr.  Mac- 
leod said.  Vicky,  Affie,  Louis,  and  myself  sat  in 
the  little  dining-room  ;  he  read  to  us  there.  Fritz 
had  left  early  in  the  morning.  The  day  was  passed 
quietly  and  peaceably  together,  and  I  was  most 
grateful  to  have  dear  Vicky  and  Affie  with  me  on 
that  day.  My  dear  Louis  wishes  me  to  express  to 
you  how  tenderly  he  thought  of  you  and  with  what 
sympathy  on  this  sad  anniversary.     Never  can  we 


PRINCESS  ALICE. 


cease  talking  of  home,  of  you  and  of  all  your  trials. 
God  bless  and  comfort  you,  my  own  dear  Mama ! 


1865. 

In  the  month  of  January  of  this  year  the  Prince 
and  Princess  were  at  last  able  to  carry  out  their  in- 
tentions of  visiting  Berlin,  which  had  several  times 
been  postponed.  The  Princess  met  with  the  great- 
est kindness  and  attention  from  the  King  and  Queen 
of  Prussia,  who  had  been  much  attached  to  her  since 
her  childhood. 

A  great  grief  fell  upon  the  Grand  Ducal  family 
through  the  death  of  the  young  Grand  Duchess  of 
Mecklenburg- Schwerin,  Prince  Louis'  only  sister, 
whose  recent  marriage  had  given  so  much  satisfac- 
tion to  the  family,  and  who  died  on  the  i6th  of 
April,  a  few  days  after  giving  birth  to  a  daughter. 

About  the  same  time,  the  Cesarewitch  Nicholas, 
eldest  son  of  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  died  at  Nice. 
He  was  his  mother's  favorite  son,  and  had  been  en- 
gaged to  be  married  to  Princess  Dagmar  of  Den- 
mark (present  Empress  of  Russia),  the  sister  of  the 
Princess  of  Wales.  Princess  Alice  endeavored  with 
all  a  daughter's  love  and  sympathy  to  cheer  her  par- 
ents-in-law under  their  heavy  bereavement. 

While  the  Prince  and  Princess  were  absent  in 
Switzerland  at  the  Rigi  Kaltbad  in  the  Bernese 
Alps,  Queen  Victoria  spent  one  day  at  Kranichstein, 
and  on  the  26th  of  August  gathered  all  her  children 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  89 

round  her  at  Coburg.  On  that  day  the  Prince  Con- 
sort's statue  on  the  market-place  at  Coburg  was  un- 
veiled. 

The  yearly  visit  to  England  took  place  in  the 
autumn,  and  the  Prince  and  Princess  spent  a  longer 
time  than  usual  in  the  Highlands,  where  they  made 
many  delightful  excursions. 

Soon  after  their  return  to  Germany,  the  sad  news 
reached  them  of  the  death  of  the  King  of  the  Bel- 
gians. Endeared  by  his  personal  character  to  his 
family  and  friends,  he  was  also  by  reason  of  his 
statesmanlike  qualities  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  sovereigns  of  Europe. 

Although  Princess  Alice  had  lived  but  a  short 
time  at  Darmstadt,  she  had  already  become  the  ac- 
knowledged centre  of  social  life  in  that  town.  Her 
liberal  and  independent  spirit,  conflicting  as  it  did 
with  many  local  prejudices,  exposed  her  to  many 
criticisms;  still,  no  one  who  came  in  contact  with 
her  could  resist  the  charm  of  her  appearance  and 
manner.  The  Princess  had,  so  to  speak,  not  "yet 
taken  root "  in  her  adopted  country  ;  but,  acute  and 
close  observer  as  she  was,  she  soon  found  where  her 
own  sphere  of  occupation  lay,  and  what  the  agencies 
were  by  which  she  could  work  out  her  plans. 

Her  letters  show  the  love  she  bore  to  her  new 
family,  and  the  many  useful  enterprises  which  she 
now  initiated  for  the  well  being  of  the  country. 

January  ist. 

*     *     *     Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  words 


go  PJ^  IN  CESS  ALICE. 

and  for  the  wishes  !  I  was  thinking  so  much  of  you 
and  of  home,  when  your  letter  came  in.  It  made 
me  so  happy  !  Darhng  Mama,  I  can  feel  so  much 
with  and  for  you  during  these  days.  I  was  all  day 
on  the  verge  of  tears,  for  the  very  word  "■Neiijahr" 
brought  Papa  and  Grandmama,  and  all  at  Windsor 
as  in  former  days,  so  vividly  before  me,  it  made  my 
heart  ache !  That  bright  happy  past,  particularly 
those  last  years,  when  I  was  the  eldest  at  home,  and 
had  the  privilege  of  being  so  much  with  you  both, 
my  own  dearly  loved  parents,  is  a  remembrance 
deeply  graven,  and  with  letters  of  gold,  upon  my 
heart.  All  the  morningf  I  was  tellino-  Louis  how  it 
used  to  be  at  home,  and  how  we  all  assembled  out- 
side your  dressing-room  door  to  scream  in  chorus 
''F^^osit  Neiijahr  !  "  and  to  give  to  you  and  Papa  our 
drawings,  writings,  etc.,  the  busy  occupation  of  pre- 
vious weeks.  Then  playing  and  reciting  our  pieces, 
where  we  often  stuck  fast,  and  dear  Papa  bit  his  lip 
so  as  not  to  lauQ-h  ;  our  walk  to  the  ridinof-school 
[where  the  alms  to  the  poor  were  distributed],  and 
then  to  Frogmore.  Those  were  happy  days,  and 
the  very  remembrance  of  them  must  bring  a  gleam 
of  sunshine  even  to  you,  dear  Mama.  Those  two 
dinners,  when  I  was  with  you  both,  were  such  happy 
evenings.  I  am  so  grateful  I  remained  at  home, 
and  lost  not  a  day  of  those  happy  ones. 

At  eight  this  morning  we  two  went  to  church  ;  at 
half-past  three  there  was  a  large  dinner  at  the  Schloss. 
I  wore  the  bracelet  with  your  pictures,  as  I  always 
do  on  all  particular  days,  for  I  like  to  be  able  to  look 
at  those  dear  faces. 

January  2d. 
We  mean  to  ofo  out  sled^inQf.     The  cold,  and  all 
the  ground  being  white  this  last  month,  has  given 


IN  HER  XEW  HOME.  9 1 

me  such  bad  eyes.  I  can  do  nodiing  of  an  evening 
at  all,  and  readings  even  by  daylight  makes  them  so 
bad  that  they  get  quite  red.  The  ladies  read  to  me, 
instead,  all  sorts  of  instructive  things.  Louis  has 
already  found  time  to  read  through  a  whole  volume 
of  the  "  Lives  of  the  Engineers."  *  You  could  not 
have  sent  any  thing  that  would  interest  him  more. 
He  thanks  you  so  much  for  the  pretty  New  Year's 
wish  also. 

January  14th. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter,  for  the  nice 
enclosure  from  Dr.  Macleod,  and  for  the  beautiful 
sermon  by  Dean  Stanley.  One  remark  struck  me 
as  singularly  applicable  to  dear  Papa,  where  he 
says  :  "  To  die  is  gain  ;  to  be  no  longer  vexed  with 
the  sight  of  evil,  which  they  cannot  control,"  etc. — 
for  dear  Papa  suffered  when  he  saw  others  do 
wrong  ;  it  pained  that  good  pure  spirit  :  and  though 
we  long  for  him  and  want  him,  if  we  could  call 
him  back — even  you  who  want  him  so  much,  I 
think  would  pause  before  you  gave  vent  to  the  wish 
that  would  recall  him.     *     ^     '•'■ 

When  trials  come,  what  alone  save  faith  and  hope 
in  a  blessed  future  can  sustain  one ! 

:::  "X-  :i:  You  cau't  think  how  much  I  am  inter- 
ested in  every  little  detail  of  your  daily  life.  Besides, 
you  know  it  cannot  be  otherwise.  Please  say  kind- 
est things  to  Brown, f  who  must  be  a  great  con- 
venience to  you. 

January  20th. 
*     *     "■"     The  more  one  studies  and  tries  to  un- 
derstand those  wonderful  laws  which  rule  the  world, 
the  more   one  wonders,  worships,  and  admires  that 

*  By  Dr.  Samuel  Smiles. 
f  John  Brown,  the  Queen's  personal  attendant. 


92  PHINCESS  ALICE. 

which  to  us  is  so  incomprehensible  ;  and  I  always 
wonder  how  there  can  be  dissatisfied  and  erumbline 
people  in  this  beautiful  world,  so  far  too  good  for 
our  deserts,  and  where,  after  our  duty  is  done,  we 
hope  to  be  everlastingly  with  those  we  love,  where 
the  joy  will  be  so  great  and  lasting  that  present  sor- 
row and  trouble  must  melt  away  before  that  sun- 
shine. 

January  23d. 

*  *  '"^  We  have  rain  and  warm  high  wind, 
and  leave  at  four  o'clock  this  afternoon.  Ella  has 
her  bath  as  a  bed,  and  Victoria  sleeps  in  the  bassinet, 
which  is  done  up  with  chintz  for  the  occasion.  I  don't 
think  they  can  catch  cold.  There  is  a  stove  in  the 
centre  compartment  besides.  You  can  fancy  I  feel 
shy  going  to  Berlin  into  a  perfectly  new  society;  and 
I  have  been  so  little  out  on  the  whole  since  the  year 
1 86 1.     Marie  Grancy'^'"  goes  with  us. 

Berlin,  January  29th. 

*  "'  *  The  journey  went  off  very  well,  and  we 
are  so  happy  to  be  here.  Vicky  and  Fritz  are  kind- 
ness itself,  and  Vicky  so  dear,  so  loving  !  I  feel  it 
does  me  good,  that  there  is  a  reflection  of  Papa's 
great  mind  in  her.  He  loved  her  so  much,  and  was 
so  proud  of  her.  The  King  is,  as  always,  very  kind, 
and  so  pleased  to  see  us  here.  Louis  is  very  happy 
to  meet  his  old  comrades  again,  and  they  equally  so 
to  see  him  ;  and  I  am  so  glad  that  he  can  have  this 
amusement  at  least,  for  he  is  so  kind  in  not  leaving 
me — and  our  life  must  be  rather  dull  sometimes  for 
a  young  man  of  spirit  like  him. 

Berlin,  February  ist. 

*  *     *     Affie  arrived  at  eigrht  this  mornine.     I 

*  One  of  the  Princess'  ladies  in  waiting. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  93 

am  sure  the  King  will  be  so  pleased  at  your  having 
let  him  come  novV.  He  is  so  kind  to  me  ;  it  touches 
me  very  much,  for  I  have  never  done  any  thing  to 
deserve  it. 

Berlin,  February  4th. 

*  *  '^  I  have  not  been  sight-seeing  anywhere, 
as  it  is  too  cold  for  that.  We  drive  in  a  shut  car- 
riage, and  then  walk  in  the  Thiergarten.  We  spend 
the  whole  day  together,  which  is  a  great  enjoyment 
to  me,  and  of  an  evening  we  go  out  together.  It  is 
so  pleasant  to  have  a  sister  to  go  out  with,  and  all 
the  people  are  so  kind  and  civil  to  us. 

Sigismund  *  is  the  greatest  darling  I  have  ever 
seen — so  wonderfully  strong  and  advanced  for  his 
age — with  such  fine  color,  always  laughing,  and  so 
lively  he  nearly  jumps  out  of  our  arms. 

This  house  is  very  comfortable,  and  Vicky  is  sur- 
rounded with  pictures  of  you  and  dear  Papa — near 
her  bed,  on  all  her  tables — and  such  endless  souve- 
nirs of  our  childhood  :  it  made  me  quite  zvehmutJiig 
[sad]  to  see  all  the  things  I  had  not  seen  for  seven 
years,  and  since  we  lived  together  as  children — 
souvenirs  of  Christmases  and  birthdays  from  you 
both,  and  from  dear  Grandmama,  from  Aunt  Glou- 
cester, etc.  It  awakened  a  thousand  old  remem- 
brances of  happy  past  times. 

Berlin,  February  7th. 
*  '■'  *  How  much  do  I  think  of  you  now,  the 
happy  Silver  Wedding  that  would  have  been,  where 
you  could  have  been  surrounded  by  so  many  of  us! 
Poor  Mama,  I  do  feel  so  deeply  for  you.  Oh,  may 
I  be  long,  if  not  altogether,  spared  so  awful  a 
calamity! 

*  Then  the  Crown  Princess'  youngest  child. 


94  FunvcESS  alice. 

Morning",  noon,  and  night  do  I  thank  the  Almighty 
for  our  happiness,  and  pray  that  it  may  last. 

These  lines  are  for  the  dear  loth,*  though  they 
will  reach  you  on  the  eve  ;  and  they  are  to  tell  you 
from  Louis  and  myself  how  tenderly  we  think  of  you 
on  that  day,  and  of  darling  Papa,  who  made  that 
day  what  it  was.  It  will  be  a  day  of  great  trial  to 
you,  I  fear.  May  the  Almighty  give  you  strength 
and  courage  to  bear  it!  I  am  sure  the  dear  sisters 
and  brothers  who  are  at  home  will  try  to  cheer  you 
with  their  different  loving  ways — above  all,  little 
Beatrice,  the  youngest  of  us  all. 

Louis  goes  to  Schwerin  to-morrow  until  Friday. 
They  wanted  us  to  go  together,  but  one  journey  is 
enough  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

Berlin,  February  nth. 

*  "•  ='=  We  have  been  sledging  these  two  days; 
it  is  very  cold,  and  the  rooms  mostly  very  hot. 
When  we  go  out  of  an  evening,  we  are  packed  up 
from  head  to  foot.  My  dear  Louis  returned  from 
Schwerin  at  five  this  morning,  pleased  with  his  visit. 
He  found  the  Castle  fine  and  comfortable,  and  its 
inmates  very  happy. 

Berlin,  February  14th, 

*  vr  %  'SSIq.  leave  next  Saturday.  I  shall  be  so 
sorry  to  leave  dear  Vicky,  for  she  is  often  so  much 
alone.  Fritz  is  really  so  excellent,  it  is  a  pleasure 
to  look  at  his  dear  good  face  ;  and  he  is  worked  so 
hard — no  health  can  stand  it  in  the  lone  run. 

Berlin,  February  17th. 

*  -"•  ^-  This  will  be  my  last  letter  from  here, 
and  I  only  regret  leaving  here  on  account  of  parting 
with  dear  Vicky  and  Fritz,  whom  we  see  so  rarely, 

*  The  anniversary  of  the  Queen's  marriage. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  95 

and  usually  but  for  a  short  time.  I  have  passed  such 
pleasant  hours  with  dear  Vicky :  that  is  what  I  shall 
look  back  to  with  so  much  pleasure  and  satisfaction. 

Darmstadt,  February  21st. 

I  write  once  more  from  our  dear  little  home,  which 
I  find  very  cold  ;  snow  and  ice  everywhere  still — it 
seems  as  if  winter  would  never  end.  We  accom- 
plished our  journey  very  well.  Poor  Vicky  will  miss 
us  very  much,  I  fear,  in  the  many  hours  when  she  is 
alone,  and  which  we  spent  together.  Writing  does 
not  make  up  for  it. 

We  orive  a  larcre  masked  ball  in  the  Palace  at 
Fastnacht  [Shrove  Tuesday],  which  is  to-day  week. 
It  is  the  first  thing  we  do  for  the  society,  and  I  hope 
it  will  go  off  well.  I  found  so  much  to  do  since  my 
return  that  I  can  write  no  more. 

Before  closing  I  must  mention  though,  thatyesterday 
evening  I  heard  "  Elijah"  beautifully  given.  How  I 
thought  of  dear  Papa !  Nearly  every  note  brought 
back  to  mind  observations  he  made  about  it.  I 
thought  I  could  see  him,  and  hear  his  dear  sweet 
voice  turning  round  to  me  with  quite  watery  eyes, 
saying,  ''  Es  ist  dock  gar  zu  schoji"  [''It  is  really 
quite  too  lovely."] 

Adored  Papa!  how  he  loved  this  fine  music  ;  the 
harmony  in  it  seems  like  the  harmony  of  souls,  and 
Mendelssohn's  music  is  so  good,  fromin  [pious]— I 
mean,  it  makes  one  better  to  hear  it.  In  the  second 
part,  in  an  air  of  "  Elijah"  toward  the  end,  I  found  the 
part  from  which  those  beautiful  responses  are  taken 
which  Cusins  arranged,  and  which  Papa  liked  so 
much. 

February  27th. 

:;:  ••;:  %  J  ^^.^  wHtc  but  a  very  short  letter  to-day, 
having  so  much  to  do  for  our  ball.     I   have  made  a 


96  PR lA^ CESS  ALICE. 

sketch  of  my  costume,  which  is  the  same  I  wore 
at  Berhn  at  the  masked  ball  at  Putbuses.  Louis 
wears  part  of  the  Garter  Costume. 

March  4th. 

*  *  *  My  parents-in-law  leave  the  middle  of 
this  month  for  Schwerin.  *  *  *  My  mother-in- 
law  fears  that  Anna  will  be  badly  managed  and 
treated  quite  after  the  old  fashion,  and  she  won't  be 
able  to  help  her,  she  fears.  Anna  is  not  very  strong", 
and  if  she  is  starved  and  kept  from  the  air,  it 
will  certainly  do  her  harm. 

I  have  written  to  dear  Tilla.*  To  think  of  home 
without  her  seems  too  sad,  but  I  hope  you  will  invite 
her  sometimes.  Every  one  liked  her  in  the  house, 
she  was  so  gentle  and  so  kind.  I  shall  never  forget 
what  I  owe  her,  and  I  ever  loved  her  most  dearly. 
But  she  has  never  been  the  same  again  since  1861. 
It  gave  her  a  dreadful  shock  ;  she  had  such  a  venera- 
tion for  darling  Papa. 

I  hope  this  year  we  can  show  you  our  house, 
though  it  will  not  be  far  enough  advanced  for  you  to 
live  in.  For  another  year,  I  hope,  we  could  make 
you  so  comfortable. 

Darmstadt,  March  6th. 

*  *  "■  I  am  reading  at  this  moment  a  book  by 
Herr  von  Arneth — the  publication  of  letters  from 
Maria  Theresa  to  Marie  Antoinette  from  1770-80. 
I  recommend  it  to  you.  The  letter  are  short  and  in- 
teresting, and  it  would  amuse  you  to  take  it  up  now 
and  then,  when  you  have  a  leisure  moment.  The 
advice  the  Empress  gives  her  daughter  is  so  good  ; 
she  was  a  very  wise  mother. 

I  have  read  and  studied  a  great  deal  about  the 
human  body  ;  about  children — their  treatment,  etc. 

*  Miss  Hlldyard,  the  Princes.^'  former  English  governess. 


/.V  HER  NE  IV  HOME.  97 

It  interests  me  immensely.  Besides,  it  is  always 
useful  to  know  such  things,  so  that  one  is  not  per- 
fectly ignorant  of  the  reasons  why  doctors  wish  one 
to  do  certain  things,  and  why  not.  In  any  moment 
of  illness,  before  there  is  time  for  a  doctor  to  come, 
one  can  be  able  to  help  one's  self  a  little.  I  know  you 
don't  like  these  things,  and  where  one  is  surrounded 
by  such  as  dear  Sir  James  [Clark]  and  Dr.  Jenner,  it 
is  perfectly  unnecessary  and  pleasanter  not  to  know 
a  good  deal.  Instead  of  finding  it  disgusting,  it 
only  fills  me  with  admiration  to  see  how  wonderlully 
we  are  made. 

Darmstadt,  March  nth. 

*  ■?:•  *  Westerweller  does  not  accompany  us 
this  time  to  England  ;  he  may  join  us  in  June.  A 
former  playfellow  of  Louis,  Ferdinand  Rabenau,  ac- 
companies us.  Affie  knows  him  and  likes  him.  We 
think  of  starting  on  the  3d,  and  passing  by  Brussels 
to  see  dear  Uncle  Leopold.  Uncle  Louis  is  still  at 
Nice,  and  does  not  return  here,  it  seems,  until 
the  Emperor  and  Empress  meet  for  April  24th — the 
Emperor's  birthday.  My  mother-in-law  is  very 
grateful  for  your  kind  message.  She  seems  very 
nervous  about  Anna. 

Victoria  is  teething,  which  makes  her  pale  and 
poorly.  Ella's  vaccination  did  not  take,  and  we  have 
the  small-pox  here. 

March  18th. 

My  poor  children  have  been  confined  to  the  house 
with  dreadful  colds  and  coughs.  Victoria  looks  the 
most  pulled,  though  Ella's  cough  was  much  more 
violent.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  they  are  really 
better  to-day  ;  but  we  have  snow  every  day,  and 
that  makes  their  recovery  slower. 

Yesterday  night  part  of  a  large  seed  manufactory 


98  FlilNCESS  ALICE. 

close  by,  near  the  artillery  barracks,  was  burnt  down. 
The  flames  were  enormous,  but  the  damage  done 
was  not  crrcat. 

My  parents-in-law  are  in  Berlin,  and  after  to-mor- 
row they  go  to  Schwerin. 

Last  night  we  heard  Cosifan  tutte  given  to  perfec- 
tion. The  music  is  most  charming,  and  I  had  never 
heard  it  before. 

April  I  St. 
"  ■''  "^  Since  some  days  the  snow  is  many  feet 
deep;  one  can  get  about  in  sledges,  and  Louis  drove 
me  in  one  with  four  horses  this  morning.  All  inter- 
course by  carriage  is  impossible,  and  this  is  very  in- 
convenient to  the  people  in  the  country  where  their 
"  Post  "  cannot  drive. 

April  4th. 

I  must  begin  bytellingyouhow  much  pleasure  your 
telegram  has  given  me.  It  is  like  my  own  dear  Mama 
to  have  her  arms  open  for  those  who  want  her  kind 
support ;  and  I  can  only  repeat  again,  that  with  you, 
and  under  your  care  alone,  should  I  like  to  leave  my 
litde  ones  so  long!  To  them,  indeed,  it  will  in  every 
way  be  an  advantage,  and  I  shall  be  quite  easy  in 
leaving  them  there,  where  I  know  they  will  have 
every  care  which  can  be  given  ;  and  it  would  make 
us  both  so  happy  to  feel  that  in  this  way  we  could 
give  you  some  little  pleasure. 

Westerweller  and  Becker  both  wish  very  much  we 
may  take  this  winter,  D.V.,  for  a  journey.  As  long 
as  we  have  fewer  servants  and  this  small  house,  it  is 
easy  to  break  up  the  whole  establishment — later, 
this  will  be  less  possible.  Louis  has  never  been 
able  to  travel,  and  the  advantage  of  seeing  other 
parts  of  the  world  would  be  so  great  for  him. 
Without  me  he  would  not  do  it;  he  says,  alone  he 


IN  HER  NEIV  HOME.  99 

should  not  enjoy  it.  I  urge  this  journey  principally 
for  his  sake,  and  1  hope  you  will  support  me  in  this. 
Since  our  marriacre  we  have  seen  nothincr,  and  all 
who  can  try  to  enlarge  their  knowledge.  From 
books  alone  it  becomes  tedious  and  less  advan- 
tageous. 

Victoria  is  going  to  have  a  party  of  thirty  children 
to-morrow  in  Prince  Charles'  rooms.  The  snow  is 
thawing  at  length,  and  the  sun  is  much  too  hot. 
The  sudden  spring  is  not  pleasant.  We  have  been 
out  riding,  and  this  evening  I  shall  accompany 
Louis  to  the  Schnepfenstrich  [woodcock-shooting'''], 
which    in    a   line  evening,  when  the  birds  sing,    is 

lovely. 

April  8ih. 

:•■•  :;:  *  ^^ ^  shall  be  delighted  to  receive  you  in 
Kranichstein,  and  if  you  will  send  your  suite  all  to 
Darmstadt  we  shall  be  able  to  arrange,  though  we 
have  not  one  spare  room  anywhere,  and  I  feel  you 
will  be  rather  squeezed.  How  I  look  forward  to 
meeting  you  again,  after  a  year  of  separation,  I  can't 
say  ;  and  I  am  so  glad  that  it  will  be  under  our  roof 
that  our  joyful  embrace  will  take  place.  As  Uncle 
Louis  is  to  have  the  Garter,  may  not  Affie  bring  it 
to  him  without  ceremony?  He  would  like  it  so 
much  better  if  it  can  be  so. 

On  the  17th  Louis  goes  to  Oberhessen  to  shoot 
capercailzies,  and  he  deposits  me  and  the  children  at 
Lich  on  his  way,  where  he  will  join  us  again  for  my 
birtliday. 

Anna  was  safely  delivered  of  a  little  girl  this 
morninof,  and  is  doinof  well. 

April  i5lh. 

*     =;:     =i:     \Yc    have    been    very    anxious    about 

*  This  sport  is  practised  in  the  evening  twilight. 


lOO  PRINCESS  ALICE, 

Anna  *  the  last  few  days,  for  she  has  had  fever  since 
the  9th,  and  shivering  still  yesterday. 

We  have  a  great  deal  to  do  this  morning,  so  I  can 
write  but  shortly. 

We  have  fine  weather  at  length,  and  are  out  a 
great  deal. 

Yesterday  we  took  the  Sacrament  at  nine,  and 
numbers  of  people  with  us.  The  service  lasted  till 
past  eleven,  with  a  pause  between. 

April  iSth. 

This  Is  really  a  dreadfully  sad  death  in  our  family, 
and  will  be  a  blow  to  my  dear  parents-in-law,  which 
will  weigh  them  down  for  many  a  day.  They  who 
lived  so  retired,  and  to  whom  the  family  life  was  all 
— Anna,  the  pet — ''das  PriJtzcsschen,"  whom  they 
gave  up  so  unwillingly,  and  with  whom  they  corres- 
ponded daily  !  It  will  be  a  blank  in  their  existence, 
which  I  can't  bear  to  think  of!  Such  tender  lovinof 
parents!  My  poor  Louis  was  dreadfully  distressed, 
though  he  feared  the  worst  all  along  since  we  knew 
that  Anna  had  fever.  He  left  with  Grolmann,  having 
passed  a  dreadful  morning.  All  the  old  servants, 
tutors,  friends,  came  crying  to  us.  Since  he  is  gone 
I  have  passed  sad  lonely  hours  ;  and  poor  old  Ame- 
lung  comes  f  and  sits  in  my  room,  sobbing  that  she 
should  ever  have  lived  to  see  this  day. 

Yesterday  morning  I  went  to  the  Rosenhahe  and 
picked  flowers  from  Anna's  garden,  and  wound  a 
large  wreath,  which  I  have  sent  to  Louis  to  place  on 
her  coffin.  The  three  brothers  feel  it  dreadfully — 
the  first  rent  in  the  family  circle  is  always  hard  to 
bear,  and  she  so  young,  so  good,  so  happy !  I  hear 
the  poor  little  baby  is  nice. 

*  Prince    Louis'    sister,   the    Grand    Duchess  of    Mecklenburg-Schwerin 
She  died  on  ihe  i6Lh  of  April,  1865. 

f  Nurse  of  the  Prince  Louis  and  his  brothers  and  sister. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  lOI 

Yesterday  night  Anna  was  taken  into  the  Schloss- 
kirche  [Palace  Cliapel]  upon  Louis'  arrival,  after  a 
journey  of  twenty-seven  hours.  I  hope  he  won't  be 
ill  after'  all  this  Gemiithsbewegung  [strain  upon  his 
feelings],  and  fatigue  always  upsets  him  and  makes 
him  sick,  and  he  feels  all  so  deeply  and  warmly.  It 
is  so  shocking.  I  can  think  of  nothing  else  ;  and  I 
am  very  low  and  sad  being  so  alone,  and  the  warm 
weather  makes  one  unwell. 

The  poor  Cesarewitch  has  passed  a  tolerable 
night.  I  fear  he  is  so  reduced  he  can't  get  through 
it.  The  Empress  doats  on  this  son,  and  he  is  so 
like  her.     The  poor  Emperor  has  left  for  Nice. 

April  2 1  St. 
Oh,  it  is  sad,  very  sad!  Life  indeed  is  but  a 
short  journey,  on  which  we  have  our  duty  to  do,  and 
in  which  joy  and  sorrow  alternately  prevail.  Anna 
was  very  good,  very  unselfish,  and  a  true  Christian, 
with  her  gentle,  humble  spirit,  and  as  such  she  was 
loved  and  admired.  What  rare  people  my  parents- 
in-law  and  their  children  are,  I  can't  tell  you — such 
childlike  faith,  such  pure  unselfish  love  to  each  other; 
1  really  feel  unworthy  to  belong  to  them,  and  they 
are  dear  to  me  beyond  description.  As  I  have 
shared  their  joys,  so  with  all  my  heart  do  I  share 
their  sorrow,  and  fervently  pray  for  them !  You 
will  understand  this,  darling  Mama.  From  you  I 
have  inherited  an  ardent  and  sympathizing  spirit, 
and  feel  the  pain  of  those  I  love  as  though  it  were 
my  own.  To-morrow  I  have  wished  that  there 
should  be  in  the  Palace  Chapel  a  funeral  service  at 
the  same  time  as  the  funeral  at  Schwerin,  and  all  the 
people  here  seemed  pleased  at  my  wish.  Bender, 
who  taught  her,  confirmed  her,  and  who  married  her 
not  a  year  ago  in  that  very  church,  will  perform  the 
service. 


I02  FRI ACCESS  ALICE. 

Poor  Dagmar!  what  a  journey  for  her,  poor  child! 
She  begins  her  troubles  early  enough. 

April  24th. 

*  "'  ■''  Many  thanks  for  your  kind  letter,  and 
for  all  the  kind  wishes  for  my  birthday.  It  will  be 
sad  and  quiet ;  but  I  hope  my  beloved  Louis  will 
arrive  to-night,  and  be  with  me  again — such  cause 
for  joy  and  thankfulness.  When  I  have  hi?n,  all 
sorrow  is  turned  into  peace  and  happiness.  Could  I 
but  know  you  still  had  darling  Papa  at  your  side, 
how  light  would  my  heart  be !  Once  when  we  have 
all  fulfilled  our  allotted  duties,  and  overcome  that 
dark  night,  then,  please  God,  we  shall  be  together, 
never  again  to  part ! 

The  sympathy  of  all  does  my  sorrowing  family 
good,  for  it  soothes  so  much  !  I  had  a  few  lines  so 
tender,  so  full  of  faith,  from  my  dear  mother-in-law 
to-day.  Since  Ella's  birth  I  know  to  understand  and 
love  her  most  dearly.  She  suffered  dreadfully,  but 
no  complaint  passes  her  lips.  She  consoles  her  hus- 
band, her  son-in-law,  and  this,  with  prayer,  enables 
her  to  bear  that  which  has  almost  broken  her  heart. 

April  25  th. 

*  *  *  Dear  Louis  returned  last  night  well,  and 
bringing  good  accounts  of  his  parents.  They  re- 
main there  still  a  little  longer,  to  arrange  Anna's 
things.  At  Frankfort,  at  eleven  last  night,  we  met ; 
it  was  so  warm. 

The  poor  Cesarewitch  is  gone !  The  Emperor 
and  Empress  are  coming  here  in  ten  days ;  what  sad 
meetinfjs. 

How  warm  it  has  been  daily  since  a  fortnight,  I 
can't  tell  you  !  We  sit  all  day  in  the  garden,  take 
tea  there,  drawing-lessons,  etc. 


I.V  HE  J?  NEW  HOME.  IO3 

April  29th. 

I  thank  you  so  "much  for  your  kind  sympathizing 
letter.  ,A11  my  family  are  so  grateful  for  all  the 
kindness  and  sympathy  you  have  shown  them  on 
this  sad  occasion. 

To-day  Uncle  Louis  arrives  ;  on  Monday  the 
Emperor  and  Empress,  and  children.  What  a  sad 
meeting !  They  go  to  Jugenheim  direct,  where  last 
year  they  were  so  happy  all  together.  I  hear  the 
Empress  is  worn  out,  mind  and  body  ;  and  she  in- 
sists, instead  of  finishing  her  cure,  on  going  in  a 
fortnight  to  St.  Petersburg  to  meet  the  remains  of 
her  child,  and  to  do  him  the  last  honors.  Louis 
fears  that  it  will  be  more  than  her  feeble  frame  can 
endure.  In  the  Greek  Church,  too,  the  night  Masses 
are  long  and  exhausting,  and  she  is  sure  to  wish  to 
do  all. 

We  spent  my  birthday  as  every  other  day,  and 
the  weather  was  heavenly.  I  am  painting  in  oil 
now,  and  that  interests  me  much.  I  find  it  much 
easier  than  water-colors, 

I  hope  Afiie  will  come  to  pay  his  respects  to  the 
Russians.  If  you  send  them  a  kind  message  through 
him,  it  would  please  them  much. 

May  2d. 

*  *  ^'  How  well  I  understand  your  compas- 
sion being  alike  for  mourners  in  all  positions  of  life. 
It  is  but  right  and  natural,  and  I  can't  imagine  one's 
feeling  otherwise. 

May  6th. 

To-morrow  morning  my  poor  parents-in-law  ar- 
rive. What  a  meeting,  and  what  a  return  !  My 
father-in-law  and  the  Empress  '='  are  each  other's 
favorites,  and  understand  each  other  so  perfectly. 

*  She  was  the  only  sister  of  Prince  Charles  of  Hesse. 


I04  FHIA^CESS  ALICE. 

It  will  be  a  consolation  to  both  to  pour  their  hearts 
out  to  each  other,  and  share  each  other's  sorrow. 
My  dear  father-in-law  wrote  to  Aunt  Marie  :  "  Al- 
though my  heart  is  sorely  depressed,  yet  it  is  even 
more  filled  with  gratitude  than  with  sorrow,  that  the 
dear  God  has  given  us  two  such  dear  children, 
though  but  for  a  brief  space."  He  is  so  touching  in 
his  grief. 

May  8th. 

I  find  my  dear  parents-in-law  pretty  well,  but 
poor  Mama  so  terribly  tired.  She  was  dread- 
fully overcome  in  coming  home,  and  at  the  several 
meetings.  He  looks  much  older,  as,  indeed,  does 
also  the  poor  Emperor,  who  parted  yesterday  to  go 
to  St.  Petersburg.  Dear  Aunt  Marie  seems  very 
weak,  and  they  both,  together  with  my  parents, 
make  such  a  sad  picture  to  look  at.  But  they  all 
like  to  speak  of  those  they  have  lost.  My  parents- 
in-law  and  we  go  this  week  to  Uncle  Louis,  to  See- 
heim  for  three  weeks. 

Seeheim,  May  12th. 

You  can't  think  what  real  pleasure  your  pretty 
locket  gave  my  mother-in-law.  She  was  deeply 
touched  by  the  kind  thought  and  the  considerate 
attention  of  the  ofift — with  what  was  eno^raved  on  it. 
She  was  so  very  much  pleased  with  it,  and  put  it  on 
the  moment  she  received  it.  The  photograph  is  to 
be  put  in.     To-day,  Anna's  wedding-day,  it  arrived. 

We  have  been  here  since  yesterday  afternoon — 
my  parents-in-law  and  Uncle  Louis.  The  suite  are 
on  leave  of  absence,  so  we  are  quite  enfamille. 

Yesterday,  Serge's  birthday,  we  went  with  Uncle 
and  Aunt  to  the  Greek  Mass,  which  lasted  more 
than  an  hour.  We  dine  daily  at  the  Heiligenberg. 
This  morning  also  we  were  there  with  our  parents  and 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  105 

children  ;  and  Aunt  Marie  [the  Empress  of  Russia] 
kept  Ella  half  an  hour  on  her  lap,  playing  with  her, 
which  .the  little  one  enjoyed  very  much,  as  she  is 
particularly  sociable  and  amiable.  Victoria  romped 
with  her  cousins — Aunt  Marie's  two,  and  Uncle 
Alexander's  four. 

Seeheim,  May  15th. 

*  *  *  To-day  Michael  and  Cecile  arrive,  and 
on  Tuesday  the  Emperor  and  Empress  recommence 
their  journey  homeward.  The  return  will  be  for 
both  most  trying.  Aunt  Marie  spoke  with  me 
about  her  sons,  their  education,  etc.,  very  long  last 
night.  Her  whole  life  she  has  studied  and  lived  for 
Nike  [the  late  Cesarewitch],  that  he  might  become 
that  which  was  necessary  for  his  future  ;  and  she 
was  much  more  with  him,  and  they  were  both  much 
more  intimate  together,  than  she  is  with  her  other 
children.  Affie  came  here  on  Saturday,  and  I  am 
so  glad  to  have  him  and  hear  some  news  of  you.  At 
this  moment  he  and  William  are  in  the  room  shoot- 
ing at  a  target  out  of  the  window,  which  makes  no 
little  noise. 

May  20th. 

*  *  *  "Yy-g  ijiean  to  remain  here  in  the  Berg-- 
strasse  with  our  parents  ;  is  seems  to  console  them  ; 
but  my  father-in-law  makes  me  very  anxious,  and  is 
so  nervous.  Poor  Mama  !  so  soft,  so  tired,  so  unlike 
herself,  celafait pitie. 

On  the  fifth  the  Grand  Duke  is  going  to  receive 
the  Garter.     You  shall  have  an  account  of  all. 

Affie  is  here,  and  to-day  dear  Arthur  comes  for  a 
few  hours.     I  shall  be  so  pleased  to  see  him  again. 

Seeheim,  May  21st, 

*  *  *  Yesterday  the  Emperor  and  Empress 
and  children  left.     So  sorry  to  see  them  go  !     God 


I06  PHINCESS  ALICE. 

knows  when  we  shall  all  meet  here  again.  We  have 
been  so  much  together  and  so  intimately,  that  I 
have  grown  very  fond  of  them,  and  am  very  sad  at 
the  thought  of  the  long  and  uncertain  separation. 
Dear  little  Arthur  was  here,  looking  very  well.  The 
wooded  hills  here  are  so  nice  to  ride  about  on,  and 
the  country  is  very  beautiful. 

May  31  St. 

I  read  serious  books  a  great  deal,  and  of  a  Sun- 
day together  we  read  out  of  Robertson's  sermons. 
In  the  second  series  there  is  one,  "  The  Irreparable 
Past "  for  young  people,  so  cheering,  so  encourag- 
ing, so  useful.  Louis  read  it  to  me  on  his  return 
from  Schwerin  after  poor  Anna's  death.  A  short 
life  indeed,  and  it  makes  one  feel  the  uncertainty  of 
life,  and  the  necessity  of  labor,  self-denial,  charity, 
and  all  those  virtues  which  we  ought  to  strive  after. 
Oh,  that  I  may  die,  having  done  my  work  and  not 
sinned  with  UnterlassM7ig  des  Guten  [omission  to  do 
what  is  good],  the  fault  into  which  it  is  easiest  to 
fall. 

Our  life  being  so  quiet  gives  one  much  time  for 
earnest  thought,  and  I  own  it  is  discouraging  to  find 
how  much  one  fails — how  small  the  step  of  improve- 
ment is. 

I  suffer  still  so  much,  and  so  often,  from  rheuma- 
tism. I  am  takinof  warm  soda-baths  in  the  morning 
for  it,  and  am  rubbed  afterward  with  towels  which 
have  been  dipped  in  cold  water  and  then  wrung  out. 
It  is  not  very  pleasant. 

June  4th. 

*      hj     *     'pj-jg  weather  is  very  beautiful,   and  we 

had  tea  yesterday  at  Schonberg,  the  castle  of  young 

Count  Erbach,  whom   Louis  presented  to    you    at 

Windsor.     Could  you  tell  us  for  certain  when  you 


IX  HER  NEW  HOME.  lO/ 

intend  going  to  Coburg,  and  when  we  are  expected 
there,  as  we  are^oing  to  the  sea  to  bathe  for  Vic- 
toria and  myself,  and  we  would  arrange  our  time  ac- 
cordingly ?  I  require  some  sea  air  after  the  great 
heat,  and  after  baby's  weaning  ;  also  before  Scotland 
it  would  be  good,  for  I  have  so  much  rheumatism. 
Some  sea  water  will  strengthen  me. 

June  7th. 

*  *  *  You  know  how  very  Scotch  we  both 
are.  Louis  is  devotedly  attached  to  Scotland  and 
his  Scotch  friends.  Do  tell  them  so  always.  But 
now  I  must  tell  you  of  yesterday.  In  the  morning 
Affie,  we,  and  our  suite,  drove  into  town  for  the  in- 
vestiture. At  half  past  three  I  drove  with  my  ladies, 
a  Kammerherr  [Chamberlain],  Becker,  etc.,  to  the 
Schloss,  where  Uncle  Louis  received  us  in  shorts  ! 
Then  Affie  and  Louis  in  their  whole  Garter  dress 
arrived  in  a  carriage  with  six  horses  and  an  escort. 
Uncle  Louis,  before  the  throne,  and  the  family. 
Court,  corps  diplomatique,  etc.,  received  them.  Affie 
read  in  English  the  address,  to  which  Uncle  Louis 
answered  in  German  ;  then  Affie  buckled  on  the 
Garter ;  then  Louis  helped  him  to  put  on  ribbon, 
cloak,  etc.,  and  fastened  the  sword  on  him,  which 
was  no  easy  task ;  but  they  acquitted  themselves 
to  perfection,  and  went  out  through  the  long  Kaiser- 
saal  backward,  bowing. 

There  was  a  large  dinner  afterward,  at  which  your 
health  was  proposed  by  Uncle  Louis,  and  in  return 
Affie  gave  his.  You  have  made  a  happy  man,  and 
he  feels  the  honor — as  he  said  to  me  in  Encjlish — 
"  utmostly  "  ;  and  he  wishes  me  to  repeat  once  more 
how  grateful  he  is  to  you.     *     *     * 

Affie  did  not  return  here  last  night  ;  he  slept  at 
Darmstadt,  and  left  this  morning  for  Amorbach.    To- 


I08  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

day  Uncle  Ernest  is  coming-  to  us,  but  only  for  one 
night.  As  we  have  again  to  go  into  town  to  fetch 
him,  and  it  is  very  warm,  I  must  close. 

Seeheim,  June  i5tb. 

*  *  *  How  it  will  amuse  and  please  us  to 
show  the  good  excellent  Scotchman  our  home.  It 
is  a  pleasure  to  hear  of  such  devotion  and  attention 
to  you  as  Brown's  is,  and  indeed  you  are  so  kind  to 
him,  that  his  whole  happiness  must  consist  in  serv- 
ing so  good  a  mistress. 

I  think  you  will  be  pleased  to  hear  of  a  most  kind 
and  touching  tribute  which  the  Frauen  [women]  of 
Darmstadt  have  paid  me.  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
have  subscribed  to  have  a  splendid  picture  painted 
for  me,  by  P.  Weber,  of  Loch  Katrine.  I  am  to  see 
it  on  Sunday.  It  is  very  much  admired,  and  they 
sent  the  painter  to  Scotland  to  do  it,  thinking  that 
something  from  my  own  country  would  please  me 
most.  Is  it  not  kind  of  them  ?  It  has  given  me  so 
much  pleasure — but  of  all  things  the  feeling  which 
has  prompted  them  to  do  it,  as  it  shows  me  that, 
though  I  have  been  here  so  short  a  time,  they  have 
become  attached  to  me,  as  I  am  with  all  my  heart  to 
my  new  home  and  country. 

Now  about  myself.  I  have  weaned  Ella,  last  Sat- 
urday, and  can  say  that  my  health  has  never  been 
so  good,  nor  have  I  been  so  strong  or  looked  so 
fresh  and  healthy  as  I  do  now.  When  Uncle  Ernest 
saw  me  he  said  I  looked  again  as  I  did  as  a  girl, 
only  rather  fatter. 

Ella  crawls  now,  and  is  very  strong  ;  she  has  her 
first  two  teeth.  Victoria  is  very  wild,  and  speaks 
more  German  than  English.  I  think  her  rather 
small,  but  other  people  say  she  is  not.  She  goes 
out  walking  with  her  Papa  before  breakfast  quite 


11^  HER  NEW  HOME.  IO9 

alone,  with   her  hands  in  her  pockets,  and  amuses 
him  very  much.  •• 

June  19th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  last  letter  from  dear  Balmo- 
ral. The  parting  from  that  lovely  place  must  always 
be  sad,  and  there  is  something  in  mountains  which 
attaches  one  so  much  to  that  scenery. 

Yesterday  was  a  very  trying  day  for  my  poor 
mother-in-law  (her  birth-day),  and  she  was  very  low, 
but,  as  all  along,  so  resigned,  so  touching  in  the 
beautiful  way  she  bears  her  grief;  so  unselfish  with 
it,  never  wishing  to  make  others  sad,  or  to  be  less 
interested  in  their  concerns  than  formerly. 

Dear  Mary  Cambridge  has  been  here,  and  we  en- 
joyed her  visit  so  much.  We  took  her  back  to 
Frankfort  to-day,  where  we  gave  her  and  Aunt 
Cambridge  a  luncheon  in  Uncle  Louis'  Palais. 

June  2ist. 
It  is  warm,  but  very  windy  and  dusty  here  ;  we 
were  nearly  blinded  out  riding  yesterday  evening.  I 
am  reading  that  most  interesting  History  of  Eng- 
land by  Pauli,  in  German,  which  commences  with 
the  Congress  of  Vienna  in  i8i5,  and  is,  I  believe, 
very  detailed  and  correct.  It  gives  a  sketch  also  of 
the  reign  of  George  III.,  and  is  so  well  written  one 
can  scarcely  lay  the  book  down.  It  is  part  of  a 
work  written  by  the  best  German  professors  on  Eng- 
land, Russia,  Italy,  France,  Spain,  and  Austria  in 
those  years,  and  I  am  reading  them  one  after 
another.     They  are  thick  books,  and  eight  volumes. 

Kranichstein,  July  2d. 
We  both  thank  you  for  your  kind   wishes  for  our 
wedding-day.     It  was    rainy  and   not   fine,   but  we 
spent  it  very  happily  indoors — Affie  and  Mary   with 


no  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

US.  Dr.  Weber  now  wishes  (as  we  should  have  to 
go  from  Blankenberghe  back  to  Coburg,  and  then 
again  all  the  journey  back),  that  I  should  not  bathe 
at  all  this  year,  as  all  the  good  would  be  undone  by 
the  hurried  journey,  and  the  excitement  of  the  sea 
air  might  not  be  good  for  Victoria.  We  are  all  to 
go  instead  for  four  weeks  to  Switzerland,  beginning 
with  Rigi  Kaltbad,  and  this  we  greatly  prefer.  We 
go  into  the  mountains  at  once  for  the  bracing  air. 
On  Saturday  until  Tuesday  we  go  to  Baden  for  the 
christening  of  the  baby.     We  both  are  god-parents. 

Kranichstein,  July  loth. 

*  *  *  Ella  already  says,  since  some  time, 
"  Papa  "  and  "  Mama,"  and  calls  herself,  and  crawls, 
and  is  very  forward  and  merry — such  a  contrast  to 
Victoria,  who  is  so  pale  and  fair,  and  naiv  thin,  for 
Ella's  eyes  are  so  dark  blue,  and  her  hair  of  such  a 
rich  brown,  that  you  would  never  take  the  little 
things  for  sisters.  They  are  very  fond  of  each  other, 
and  so  dear  together,  that  they  give  us  much  pleas- 
ure. I  would  not  change  them  for  boys,  if  I  could ; 
this  little  pair  of  sisters  is  so  nice,  and  they  can  be 
such  friends  to  each  other. 

I  hope  you  will  be  comfortable  here,  but  we  are 
much  annoyed  not  to  be  able  to  be  there  to  receive 
you.  None  of  the  family  will  be  here,  save  perhaps 
my  mother-in-law  with  poor  Fritz  Schwerin,  who  is 
expected  then. 

We  mean  to  start  on  the  2  5th,  and  we  go  as  pri- 
vate people,  on  account  of  the  expense.  We  are 
only  going  to  Oberland,  and  sha'n't  go  very  far  about. 

Kranichstein,  July  lylh. 

*  *  *  It  was  95°  in  the  shade  yesterday  at 
eight  in  the  morning,  and  I  think  the  heat  increases. 


IN  HER  NE  W  HOME.  1 1 1 

Dr.  Lyon  Playfair  lunched  with  us  yesterday  ;  he  is 
so  charming.  To-morrow  morning  at  five  we  go  to 
Bonn  for  the  day,  and  shall  be  there  before  ten. 
The  heat  is  too  great  to  go  at  any  other  time.  We 
start  next  Tuesday  evening,  and  on  Wednesday 
shall  be  on  the  Rigi. 

This  morning  at  six  o'clock  we  rode  to  the  exer- 
cising— I  on  a  new  horse,  for  two  hours  and  a  half 
over  sand  without  any  shade. 

Mary  [Duchess  of  Teck]  has  been  so  kind  as  to 
give  us  a  boat,  which  we  expect  shortly.  It  is  to  be 
christened  "  Mary  Adelaide,"  after  her. 

July  24th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter,  and  for  the  sad  ac- 
count of  Victoria  Brant's'"'  death.  It  is  quite  shock- 
ing, and  she  was  my  dearest  friend  of  those  contem- 
poraries, and  the  one  I  saw  the  most  of  "In  the 
midst  of  life  we  are  in  death  "  ;  and  the  uncertainty 
of  all  earthly  things  makes  life  a  real  earnest,  and  no 
dream.  Our  whole  life  should  be  a  preparation  and 
expectation  for  eternity.  Merry  as  she  was,  she  was 
yet  very  serious  and  thoughtful ;  but  what  a  loss  she 
will  be  to  her  poor  parents  and  husband! 

I  have  made  all  arrangements  for  your  comfort 
here.  I  own  I  do  not  like  your  coming  here  when 
we  and  the  whole  family  are  away — it  looks  so  odd! 
I  forgot  to  tell  you,  in  answer  to  your  question  about 
Ella's  name,  that  she  of  course  must  be  called 
"  Elizabeth,"  entre  nous  only  "  Ella,"  for  she  bears  my 
dear  mama-in-law's  name. 

Rigi  Kaltbad,  August  ist. 

I  am  enchanted,  delisfhted  with  this  masfnificent 

*  Daughter  of  M.  Van  de  Weyer,  tlie  Belgian  Minister  Plenipotentiary  in 
England.  She  had  been  thrown  out  from  her  carriage,  and  died  from  the 
effect  of  the  injuries  received. 


112  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

scenery.  Oh,  how  you  would  admire  it !  When  I 
am  sketching,  I  keep  telling  Louis  how  much  more 
like  you  would  make  the  things  ;  one  can  always 
recognize  the  places  when  you  draw  them. 

We  left  Darmstadt  at  eight  Wednesday  morning, 
the  26th,  slept  at  Basel  that  night,  and  we  got  there 
early  enough  to  see  the  fine  church  in  a  thunder 
storm.  The  next  day  we  only  went  to  Lucerne,  as 
the  weather  was  not  fine  enough  to  ascend  the  Rigi. 
It  was  a  lovely  afternoon,  and  the  lake  of  a  marvel- 
lous green  color.  The  Pilatus  was  quite  clear  for  a  few 
hours.  The  next  morning  we  two,  the  children,  Mof- 
fat, Harriet  the  nursery-maid,  Logoz  and  wife,  Jager, 
and  Beck,  our  whole  party,  started  in  a  very  crowded 
steamer  for  Waggis.  Splendid  weather,  though 
cloudy.  We  then,  on  horses  and  in  chairs  carried 
by  three  or  six  men,  made  our  ascent  along  a  wind- 
ing, narrow,  steep  path,  below  rocks,  past  ravines, 
where  little  chalets  are  situated,  and  all  over  the 
green  pasture  cows  and  goats  feeding  with  bells 
round  their  necks.  Westerweller  was  here  when  we 
arrived  ;  he  acts  courier,  and  when  we  make  long 
expeditions  remains  with  the  children.  This  is  a 
very  roomy  hotel,  crammed  full  of  people,  among  them 
some  odd  Austrian  ladies  whom  we  see  below  walk- 
ing on  the  terrace — very  smart,  and  smoking.  We 
two  have  been  on  mules  with  a  guide — such  a  funny 
man,  who  was  a  soldier  at  Naples,  and  was  at  the 
siege  of  Gaeta — on  all  the  expeditions  hereabout. 

To-morrow  we  leave,  and  go  till  Monday  to 
Buochs,  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake  ;  then  to  En- 
gelberg,  where  Uncle  Adalbert  and  his  wife  will  be. 
The  children  are  well  ;  Victoria  very  troublesome, 
but  Ella  good  and  amiable  as  ever.  As  I  am  writing 
at  the  window,  the  clouds  cover  the  lake  and  the 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  II3 

lower  mountains)  and  I  can  only  see  the  quite  high 
ones  with  glaciers,  which  are  of  such  a  splendid 
shape. 

The  color  of  the  Scotch  mountains  is,  I  think, 
finer  ;  but  here  they  are,  first  of  all,  so  enormously 
high,  and  then  such  fine  shapes,  and  the  mountains 
are  studded  with  trees  and  rocks  down  below,  and 
of  a  green  color. 

The  air  is  very  light  and  cold,  but  the  sun  intense. 
We  are  going  off  for  the  day  again  on  our  mules,  so 
I  must  close.  Of  course  many  funny  incidents  take 
place,  which  I  reserve  to  tell  you  when  we  meet. 

I  do  hope  the  heat  will  be  over  for  your  journey, 
and  that  it  will  be  fine  when  you  are  at  our  dear 
Kranichstein.  Marie  Grancy  will  be  there  to  receive 
you,  and  do  any  thing  which  is  required. 

Engeleerg,  Hotel  Titlis,  August  8th. 

These  lines  I  send  by  Becker,  and  hope  you  will 
receive  them  at  Kranichstein.  *  «  ♦  j  j-^Qp^ 
you  found  all  you  wanted  in  the  rooms,  and  that  the 
meals  were  as  you  like  them.  I  ordered  all,  and 
wrote  all  down  before  leaving,  as  I  know  what  you 
like. 

We  were  for  some  days  at  Buochs,  a  very  pretty 
village  ;  and  we  lived  in  three  detachments  in  differ- 
ent common  Swiss  houses,  very  comfortable  on  the 
whole,  but  not  smelling  very  nice,  so  that  I  could 
scarcely  eat  while  we  were  there. 

Yesterday  morning,  in  a  very  funny  two-seated 
carriage  with  one  horse,  we  left,  the  children  and 
servants  followiiig  in  a  bigger  carriage.  A  nearly 
four  hours'  drive  through  the  most  beautiful  scenery, 
up  a  narrow  valley  through  whicli  the  Aa  runs, 
brouglit  us  here.  The  last  two  hours  arc  a  steep 
ascent  on  the   side  of  a  precipice  ;  beautiful  vegeta- 


114  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

tion  through  the  wood  all  the  way  upward  ;  view  on 
the  high  mountains  with  snow  and  glaciers  close  by. 
On  coming  to  the  top  there  is  a  narrow  and  lovely 
green  valley  studded  with  peasants'  cottages,  and  in 
the  centre  a  Benedictine  Abbey,  near  which  our 
hotel  is  situated.  The  valley  is  of  very  green  grass  ; 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  quite  rocky,  with  snow. 
Lower  down,  and  skirting  the  valley,  which  is  quite 
shut  in  by  the  hills,  fine  trees  ;  several  very  high 
waterfalls,  in  the  style  of  the  Glassalt  (near  Balmo- 
ral), only  much  higher.  This  Alpine  valley  is  said 
to  give  the  most  perfect  idea  of  a  Swiss  valley  up  in 
the  mountains.  One  can  ascend  the  Titlis  ;  but  it  is 
said  to  be  dangerous,  so  we  sha'n't  attempt  it.  We 
are  very  careful,  and  Louis  won't  undertake  any 
thing  risky.  The  scenery  seen  from  the  carriage 
merely  is  so  splendid  that  one  may  well  be  content 
with  that.  Unfortunately,  to-day  it  pours,  and  it  is 
very  cold.  The  children  are  very  well.  The  jour- 
ney has  really  done  Victoria  good,  and  she  begins 
to  have  an  appetite,  which  with  her  is  a  very  rare 
thing. 

The  next  place  we  go  to  is  Meyringen.  We  mean 
to  ride  there  over  the  Joch  Pass,  but  the  children 
must  go  back  the  same  way  to  get  round,  as  there 
is  no  other  way  out  of  this  valley.  We  will  leave 
them  then  with  Westerweller,  and  go  to  the  Grin- 
delwald,  Interlaken,  etc.  ;  and  then  return  home  by 
the  29th  probably.  The  children  are  living  in  a 
cottaore  here  also. 

o 

Pension  Belle  Vue,  ) 

Tracht  bei  Brienz,  August  14th.  [ 

*     '"     *     Our  ride  from  Engelberg  over  the  Joch 

Pass  to  Meyringen  was  quite  beautiful  ;  but  a  worse 

way  than  any  we  have  ever  been  out  on  in  Scotland. 

We  were  eleven  hours  on  the  road,  and  the  sun 


IN  HER  NE IV  HOME.  1 1  5 

was  very  hot,  and  the  walking-  on  these  steep 
bad  paths  made  one  still  hotter  ;  but  we  enjoyed  it 
very  much,  and  I  never  saw  any  thing  grander  or 
more  mapfnificent.  *  *  '"'  I  have  made  little 
scribbles  on  the  way.  *  *  '''  To-day  we  two 
with  two  horses  were  to  have  walked  and  ridden  to 
the  Grindelwald,  over  the  Rosenlaui  glacier,  and  to 
have  gone  on  the  next  day  to  Interlaken,  but  the 
weather  is  so  bad  that  it  is  impossible,  and,  not  being 
satisfied  with  the  prices,  etc.,  at  the  hotel  of  Mey- 
ringen,  we  came  on  here,  an  hour's  drive,  near  to  the 
beautiful  falls  of  the  Giessbach,  which  we  saw  on  Sun- 
day. "^^  *  *  The  weather  will  determine  whether 
we  can  make  an  expediton  to-morrow. 

We  shall  be  home  on  Friday  by  Thun  and  Basel, 
where  we  sleep.  What  day  are  we  to  be  at  Coburg, 
and  for  how  long  exactly  ?  I  believe  only  two 
or  three  days. 

The  white  heather  is  from  above  Ensfelbere,  near 
Brienz. 

Pension  Belle  Vue,  August  15th. 

I  have  this  instant  received  your  dear  letter  from 
Kranichstein,  and,  though  only  just  returned  from  an 
expedition  to  the  Rosenlaui  glacier,  I  sit  down  at 
once  to  thank  you  with  all  my  heart  for  such  dear 
lines.  How  glad  I  am  all  was  comfortable,  and  that 
you  were  pleased  with  your  day  in  our  nice  Kranich- 
stein !  I  am  glad  you  missed  us  a  little.  '''  '"'  * 
But  I  must  tell  you  of  to-day.  We  drove  to  Reich- 
enbach,  close  to  the  falls,  took  a  guide  and  horses, 
and  in  two  hours  by  a  steep  stony  path  got  to 
Rosenlaui.  The  view  on  the  Wetterhorn,  covered 
with  snow,  and  on  the  Wellborn,  which  is  a  rugged 
rock  on  the  other  side  of  it,  the  white  sparkling 
glacier,  is  quite  beautiful.     The  shapes  and  immense 


Il6  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

height  of  the  mountains  are  so  imposing.  I  look, 
admire,  wonder  ;  one  can't  find  words  to  express 
what  one  feels.  How  you  would  admire  the  scenery  ! 
Papa  was  so  fond  of  it  all. 

Kranichstein,  August  21st. 
These  will  be  my  last  lines  until  we  meet.  We  re- 
turned here  well,  having  unfortunately,  though,  much 
rain  from  Interlaken  to  Basel.  AtThun  we  were  in 
the  same  hotel  as  Blanche  and  Mademoiselle 
Bernard,  and  to-morrow  we  expect  Uncle  Nemours, 
Marguerite,  and  Alengon,  whom  we  asked  to  dinner 
on  their  way  to  Frankfort.  I  am  mostly  at  the 
Rosenhohe  with  my  mama-in-law,  as  she  is  quite 
alone.  I  was  in  town  with  her,  and  read  to  her  this 
morning  ;  she  is  ever  so  dear  and  kind.  I  do  love 
her  so  much.  Ever  since  Ella's  birth  we  have  been 
drawn  so  closely  to  each  other,  and  I  admire  her 
also  now  that  I  know  and  understand  her.  There  is 
so  much  beneath,  so  much  Gemuth,  tenderness,  and 
delicacy  of  feeling.  It  is  indeed  a  blessing  to  have 
such  people  as  they  are  for  parents-in-law. 

September  ist. 

Uncle  George  was  here  yesterday.  Vicky  remains 
with  us  till  the  5th,  and  gives  me  so  much  pleasure 
to  be  able  to  repay  her  for  her  hospitality  this 
winter. 

We  were  at  the  christening  of  Becker's  baby, 
which  went  off  so  well.  In  the  morning  we  had 
to  go  through  High  Mass  for  the  inauguration  of  the 
Grand  Duchess'  monument  in  the  Catholic  church. 

Poor  papa-in-law,  who  went  to  bathe  for  his  head- 
ache, has  had  such  a  return  of  his  cough  that  he  is 
coming  back  here  on  Monday.  I  hope  they  will  go 
to  Switzerland  later. 


IN  HER   NEW  HOME.  WJ 

Kranichstein,  September  Sth. 

*  *  *  AftSr  having  missed  the  train  they  in- 
tended to  come  by,  Bertie  and  Alix  arrived  at  three 
o'clock.  They  dined  with  us.  Louis  then  took  him 
to  the  theatre,  and  I  drove  her  about. 

My  poor  father-in-law's  throat  is  very  bad,  and 
gives  him  much  pain.  I  am  really  very  anxious 
about  him. 

We  leave  to-morrow  afternoon  at  four,  and  shall 
spend  the  following  day  at  Ostend,  embarking  in  the 
evening.  Till  the  end  of  the  week  we  intend  stop- 
ping in  town,  and  if  Bertie  and  Alix  remain  longer, 
we  shall  leave  by  the  limited  mail  (for  Balmoral). 

Inverness,  October  Sth, 
This  is  a  very  fine  town,  and  the  country  is  very 
beautiful.  We  took  a  walk  this  morning,  and  shall 
drive  this  afternoon.  It  was  thoucfht  better  not  to 
go  to  a  kirk,  as  the  people  seemed  to  look  out  for  us. 
Again  a  thousand  thanks  for  having  arranged  this 
nice  journey  for  us,  which  we  enjoy  so  much.  I 
thought  so  much  of  you  and  dear  Papa  yesterday 
durinor  our  ride."' 

Sandringham,  November  i6th. 

*  *  *  I  am  pleased  that  the  children  are  well 
under  your  roof.  I  know  they  have  all  they  can 
want.  Bertie  had  such  bad  toothache  yesterday  ; 
Louis  also  a  little  ;  the  cold  air  must  be  the  cause, 
for  it  is  so  sharp  here. 

Alix  and  I  practice  together  for  an  hour  of  an 
evening.  '''  ''^  '''  Alix  drove  me  down  to  the  sea 
the  other  day,  and  a  most  alarming  drive  it  was,  for 
the  horses  pulled,  and  to  our  astonishment  the 
coachman  suddenly  alighted  between  us,   with  his 

*  See  "  Leaves  from  a  Journal,"  Gran  town,  iS6o. 


I  1 8  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

feet  in  the  air,  from  the  back  seat,  and  caught  hold 
of  the  reins — it  was  too  funny.  I  hope  to  be  near 
you  again  on  Saturday. 

CoBLENZ,  November  25th, 

*  '^  *  Having  just  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to 
myself  before  leaving  this,  I  hasten  to  write  to  you  a 
few  lines  to  tell  you  that  we  have  travelled  quite 
well  so  far.  May  will  have  told  you  about  our  pas- 
sage. I  have  been  sick  ever  since,  which  is  dread- 
ful. Henry  and  William  joined  us  at  Bonn,  and 
came  here  with  us. 

The  Queen  was  most  kind.  We  spent  the  even- 
ing most  pleasantly  C7i  famille  with  her,  and  whilst 
we  dined  alone  together  she  had  to  go  to  a  town 
ball. 

Darmstadt,  November  28th. 

^  "  ^''  I  find  my  father-in-law  looking  better, 
I  am  happy  to  say,  though  far  from  strong  ;  and 
alas  !  one  of  his  lungs  is  affected.  Though,  with 
care,  one  can  guard  him  from  evil  consequences, 
still  of  course,  it  is  an  anxious  thing.  All  the  family 
are  very  grateful  for  your  kind  messages,  and  send 
their  respects  to  you. 

::-.  -;:-  «  q-|^g  children  are  very  well,  and  Vic- 
toria said  to  my  mother,  "  Meine  Grossmama,  die 
Koniginn,  has  got  a  little  vatch  with  a  birdie,"  and 
she  is  always  speaking  of  all  at  Windsor,  but 
principally  of  the  things  in  your  room.  I  am  so 
glad  that  you  are  pleased  with  the  children's  picture. 
I  admire  it  so  much. 

It  is  warm  and  damp  here.  *  *  *  j  have  a 
great  deal  to  do.     ^     ^"     * 

We  have  been  over  the  new  house  yesterday,  and 
alas !  found  many  things  not  quite  what  they  were 
intended  to  be.     *     *     * 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  II9 

Darmstadt,  December  5th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter  received  yesterday, 
with  tlie  account  of  Lenchen's  /^;'/(9(5//;/^  [betrothal]. 
I  am  so  glad  she  is  happy,  and  I  hope  every  bless- 
ing will  rest  on  them  both  that  one  can  possibly 
desire. 

I  had  a  letter  from  Marie  Brabant  two  days  ago, 
where  she  says  dear  Uncle's  [King  Leopold's]  state 
is  hopeless ;  but  yesterday  she  telegraphed  that  he 
was  rather  better.  What  a  loss  it  would  be  if  he 
were  to  be  taken  from  us,  for  his  very  name  and  ex- 
istence, though  he  takes  no  active  part  in  politics, 
are  of  weight  and  value. 

Yesterday  I  was  painting  in  oils,  and  I  copied  my 
sketch  of  the  Sluggan,  and,  if  it  be  in  any  way  at  all 
presentable  and  fit  to  give,  I  will  send  it  to  you.  I 
hope  it  won't  be  very  Chinese,  for  our  sketches  had 
a  certain  likeness  to  works  of  art  of  that  country. 
Louis  is  very  busy  here.  He  has  begun  his  military 
duties ;  he  has  the  command  and  Vcrwaltung  [ad- 
ministration] of  the  Cavalry  Brigade.  To-day  he 
has  to  go  to  the  Chamber,  and  he  is  going  to  attend 
the  different  offices — home  department,  finances, 
justice,  etc., — so  as  to  get  a  knowledge  of  the  routine 
of  business.  '^'  '''  *  Louis  of  Portugal  and 
family  passed  through  here  yesterday,  and  went  to 
Frankfort.  I  have  inquired  if  they  are  there  still, 
and  it  they  are  we  shall  try  to  see  them.  I  am  so 
curious  to  see  Marie  Pia.     *      '''     '^' 

All  our  Hofstaat  [Court  circle]  lay  their  good 
wishes  for  Lenchen's  engagement  at  your  feet. 

Darmstadt,  December  8th. 
We  are  so  grieved  and  distressed  at  dear  Uncle 
Leopold's  alarming  state,  and  have  given  up  all  hope, 
the  accounts  are  so  bad.     Oh,  were  there  but  a  chance 


I20  PJinVCESS  ALICE. 

for  you,  or  for  any  of  us  who  love   him  so  clearly,  to 
be  near  him  during  his  last  hours ! 

December   nth. 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter.  Alas,  alas  !  beloved 
Uncle  Leopold  is  no  more  !  How  much  for  you, 
for  us,  for  all,  goes  with  him  to  the  grave  !  One  tie 
more  of  those  dear  old  times  is  rent ! 

I  do  feel  for  you  so  much,  for  dear  Uncle  was  in- 
deed a  father  to  you.  Now  you  are  head  of  all  the 
family — it  seems  incredible,  and  that  dear  Papa 
should  not  be  by  your  side. 

The  regret  for  dear  Uncle  Leopold  is  universal — 
he  stood  so  high  in  the  eyes  of  all  parties  ;  his  life 
was  a  history  in  itself — and  now  that  book  is  closed. 
Oh,  it  is  so  sad,  and  he  is  such  a  loss  !  I  am  almost 
glad  this  sorrow  has  fallen  into  those  days  already  so 
hallowed  by  melancholy  and  precious  recollections. 
How  I  recollect  every  hour,  every  minute  of  those 
days.  In  thinking  of  them  one  feels  over  again  the 
hope,  the  anxiety,  and  lastly  the  despair  and  grief  of 
that  irretrievable  loss.  The  Almighty  stood  by  you 
and  us,  and  enabled  us  to  bear  it,  for  I  always  wonder 
that  we  lived  through  that  awful  time. 

The  future  world  seems  so  like  a  real  home,  for 
there  are  so  many  dear  ones  to  meet  again.  There 
is  something  peculiarly  sad  in  the  death  of  the  last 
one  of  a  large  family — to  feel  that  none  is  left  to  tell 
of  each  other,  and  of  their  earlier  life,  Vv^hich  the 
younger  ones  could  know  only  through  their  lips. 

December  15th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter.  I  was  so  anxious  to 
hear  something  of  our  beloved  Uncle's  end  ;  it 
seems  to  have  been  most  peaceful. 

There  v/ill  be  m.any  Princes  at  Brussels,  I  believe. 


IN  HER  NEW  HOME.  121 

How  much  I  thought  of  you  and  of  dear  Papa  on 
the  14th!  Dear'Louis  leaves  me  this  afternoon. 
He  will  reach  Brussels  at  five  to-morrow  morning, 
and  remain  over  the  Sunday. 

The  accession  of  the  new  King  and  the  honors 
that  have  at  once  to  be  paid  are  so  painful,  following 
so  closely  on  the  death  of  one  we  have  loved  and 
known  in  that  position.  As  the  French  say  :  "  Le 
Roi  est  moi^t.      Vive  le  Rot  !  " 

December  20th. 

*  *  *  I  was  sitting  up  for  Louis  till  half-past 
eleven  with  Countess  BliJcher — who  leaves  to-day, 
and  has  spent  a  few  days  with  me — when  he,  and  to 
my  astonishment  Bertie  also,  came  into  the  room. 
The  next  day,  alas  !  he  had  to  leave  again  at  four  ; 
but  still,  short  as  his  stay  was,  it  was  a  token  of  his 
constant  love  for  me,  and  it  touched  me  very  much, 
for  I  ever  loved  him  so  dearly. 

Every  thing  went  off  well  at  Brussels  as  you  will 
have  heard.  The  more  I  realize  that  we  shall  never 
see  beloved  Uncle  Leopold  again,  the  sadder  I  grow. 
He  had,  apart  from  all  his  excellent  qualities,  such  a 
charm  as  I  believe  we  shall  seldom  find  again. 

The  dear  Countess  is  weli.  We  made  the  dining- 
room  into  a  bedroom  for  h-r,  and  we  dined  down- 
stairs. I  was  so  afraid  of  her  getting  cold,  if  she 
lived  out  of  the  house. 

Darmstadt,  December  24th, 

*  ■^^  *  How  I  wish  beloved  Uncle  were  brought 
to  Windsor  to  rest  there  as  he  had  wished  !  I  won- 
dered so  much  that  every  thing  had  taken  place  at 
Laeken,  knowing  that  dear  Uncle  had  wished  it 
otherwise. 

Uncle   Louis  wishes  me  to  thank  you  once  more 

\ 


122  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

for  the  Christmas  eatables,  and  my  mother-in-law 
likewise  for  the  lovely  little  frame  and  photograph. 
They  are  both  much  touched  by  this  kind  attention 
on  your  part. 

Christmas  Day. 

■!r  *  *  -^Q  j^g  Christmas  is  always  sad  now, 
and  for  Louis  and  his  family  it  was  so  likewise  this 
year  ;  my  parents-in-law  felt  it  very  much.  We 
went  to  the  Military  Church  at  eight  this  morning. 
It  is  the  service  we  like  best  ;  but  it  was  bitterly 
cold,  every  thing  snow  white. 

I  hope  my  little  picture,  though  very  imperfect, 
found  favor  in  your  eyes.  It  gave  me  such  pleasure 
doing  it  for  you,  thinking  of  you  and  our  expedition 
the  whole  time  I  was  doing  it. 

December  30th, 

This  is  my  last  letter  this  year.  In  many  ways  a 
happy  one  has  it  been,  though  it  has  deprived  us  of 
many  dear  and  near  ones.  Each  year  brings  us 
nearer  to  the  Wicdcrsehcn  [reunion  with  the  dead], 
though  it  is  sad  to  think  how  one's  glass  is  running 
out,  and  how  little  good  goes  with  it  compared  to 
the  numberless  blessings  we  receive.  Time  goes  in- 
credibly fast.  ) 

Every  earnest  and  tender  wish  from  us  both  is 
yours,  dear  Mama,  for  this  coming  year  with  its  ex- 
pected events.  May  God's  blessing  rest  on  this  new 
union  which  is  to  be  formed  in  our  family,  and  may 
dear  Lenchen  be  as  happy  as  all  those  who  loved 
her  can  wish  !  I  am  sorry  to  think  that  I  shall 
propably  not  see  her  again  until  she  is  married  ;  but 
I  am  glad  for  her  sake  that  the  Brautstaiid  [the  be- 
trothal period]  is  not/ to  be  long. 

I  send  you  a  locke^;t  with  Ella's  miniature,  which  I 
hope  will  please  you, 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK. 

1S66-1872. 


"  Life  is  meant  for  work,  and  not  for  pleasure."  {August  2g,  1S66.) 
1866. 

THIS  year,  which  brought  such  important  changes 
to  the  political  life  of  Germany,  was  also  in 
many  ways  full  of  sorrow  and  trouble  to  the  Princess, 
and  the  hard  and  painful  struggle  through  which 
Germany  passed  affected  her  very  nearly. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  year,  the  new  palace 
was  completed,  and  in  it  the  Princess  had  the  satis- 
faction of  seeing  her  wishes  realized,  and  of  feeling 
both  comfortable  and  "  at  home."  She  was  also 
able  during  this  new  year  to  extend  the  field  of  her 
practical  usefulness. 

Princess  Alice  attended  some  very  interesting 
lectures  on  the  necessity  of  providing  special  asylums 
for  poor  idiots,  delivered  by  a  very  clever  and  enter- 
prising "  orthodox  "  clergyman  from  the  Odenwald. 
She  took  up  the  idea  most  warmly,  and  determined 
to  found  such  an  institution  herself,  but  in  doing  this 
found  herself  face  to  face  with  very  serious  difficul- 
ties.    The  lecturer  and  those  who  sided  with  him 

123 


124  FJ^ /ACCESS  ALICE. 

wished  that  any  institution  of  this  kind  should  bear 
a  strictly  religious  stamp.  The  Princess  did  not  agree 
in  this  view.  She  wished  to  separate  the  religious 
from  the  practical  part  of  the  work.  She  wished 
people  to  feel,  that  they  were  bound  to  help  to 
alleviate  sickness  and  suffering  (in  whatever  form) 
out  of  mere  love  to  their  fellow-creatures,  and 
not  only  as  the  fulfilment  of  a  religious  duty.  While 
the  Princess  always  acknowledged  the  value  of  re- 
ligious motives  in  carrying  out  works  of  charity,  she 
felt  strongly,  in  this  particular  case,  that  the  treat- 
ment of  idiots  should  be  left  to  the  medical  pro- 
fession, without  any  foreign  interference. 

A  committee  was  formed  of  persons  who  shared 
the  Princess'  views,  and  who  were  commissioned  by 
her  to  take  the  necessary  steps  for  carrying  out  her 
plans.  By  far  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  work  fell 
to  her  own  share — namely,  that  of  finding  the  neces- 
sary funds.  To  obtain  these  she  organized  a  Bazaar 
in  her  new  palace.  This  was  a  totally  novel  pro- 
ceeding in  Germany,  and  well  calculated  to  attract  a 
large  number  of  visitors.  The  Bazaar  was  opened 
on  the  6th  of  April,  and  lasted  four  days.  The 
Princess  and  Prince  Louis  and  her  brother,  Prince 
Alfred,  took  an  active  part  in  it.  The  result  sur- 
passed utmost  expectations,  a  success  mainly  due  to 
her  own  personal  efforts,  and  to  the  charm  which  she 
exercised  over  all.  At  the  close  of  the  Bazaar  she 
was  not  only  able  to  announce  that  she  had  realized 
the  sum  of  1 6,000  florins,  but  that  she  had  also  gained 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 25 

the  conviction  that  the  whole  country  supported  her 
in  her  undertaking. 

In  spite  of  the  success  of  this  Bazaar,  the  Princess 
was  in  later  years  opposed  to  a  repetition  of  such 
an  expedient,  as  she  felt — what  many  do — that  people 
often  come  on  such  occasions  for  their  own  personal 
amusement  rather  than  to  aid  the  charity. 

The  war  of  1866,  which  was  the  consequence  of 
the  unfortunate  conflict  about  the  Duchies  of  Schles- 
wig-Holstein,  was  viewed  by  the  Princess  with  feel- 
ings in  which  personal  interests  and  attachments 
conflicted  with  political  convictions.  She  was  so 
truly  German  that  she  felt  most  keenly  the  struggle 
between  Germans  and  Germans,  or  as  she  herself 
says  in  one  of  her  letters,  "  brother  against  brother." 

At  times  she  could  not  help  being  downcast,  be- 
cause she  saw  how  much  her  husband  and  her  hus- 
band's country  suffered  from  it,  and  because  she 
foresaw  how  disastrous  to  South  Germany  the  results 
of  such  a  war  must  be.  Prince  Louis  himself  was 
soon  obliged  to  assume  his  command  in  the  field. 

The  Princess  gave  birth  to  a  third  daughter  on  the 
iith  of  July,  during  the  most  anxious  days  of  that 
trying  time.  Prince  Louis  had  happened  to  be  home 
on  leave  for  a  few  days  when  the  event  took  place ; 
but  he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  Princess  on  the  14th 
of  July,  and  to  go  at  once  into  action  at  Aschaffen- 
burg.  As  the  South-German  troops  had  to  retreat, 
all  communication  with  his  home  for  some  time  was 
cut  off. 


126  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

On  the  31st  of  July  the  Prussians  under  General 
von  Goben  entered  Darmstadt.  Prince  Louis'  pa- 
rents, who  were  the  only  relations  remaining  in 
Darmstadt,  were  daily  with  the  Princess.  On  the 
8th  of  August,  whilst  on  her  way  home  from  visiting 
her  parents-in-law,  the  Princess  unexpectedly  met 
the  Prince  in  the  street.  He  had  obtained  leave  of 
absence  during  a  short  armistice.  The  joy  of  this 
meeting  can  easily  be  pictured!  The  Prince  and 
Princess  together  visited  the  wounded ;  and  on  the 
loth  of  August  the  Prince  was  appointed  by  the 
Grand  Duke  to  the  command  of  the  Hessian  divi- 
sion then  in  the  field.  By  the  Grand  Duke's  wish 
the  Prince  went  for  two  days  to  Berlin,  and  then 
joined  the  troops  in  Rhenish  Hesse.  He  took  up 
his  quarters  in  the  "  Gclbe  Hans''  at  Nierstein-Op- 
penheim,  and  the  Princess  courageously  shared  them 
with  him — in  spite  of  the  cholera  then  raging  there. 
On  the  1 2th  of  September — Prince  Louis'  birthday 
— the  little  Princess  was  christened  at  Darmstadt  by 
the  military  chaplain  ;  she  received  the  names  Irene 
(Peace)  Louise  Marie  Anna.  The  same  day  peace 
was  ratified  at  Berlin — that  peace  for  which  the  brave 
mother  of  the  child  had  so  ardendy  longed. 

The  Cavalry  Brigade  which  the  Prince  had  com- 
manded stood  sponsor    to  the  child. 

It  was  only  on  the  20th  of  September  that  the 
Prince  and  Princess  with  the  Hessian  division  made 
their  public  entry  into  Darmstadt. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  12/ 

'*■  January  2d. 

I  am  at  the  head  of  a  committee  of  ladies  out  of 
the  different  classes  of  society  to  make  a  large  ba- 
zaar, in  which  all  the  country  is  to  take  part,  for  the 
Idiot  Asylum.  It  is  very  difficult — all  the  more  as  I 
have  never  had  any  thing  to  do  with  such  things  in 
my  life.  *  *  -i:  j  vv^anted  for  the  first  public 
thing  I  undertake,  to  take  in  all  principles,  and  my 
mother-in-law  has  eiven  her  name  to  it.  I  have 
chosen  the  committee  out  of  different  sets — half 
adelig  [people  of  rank]  half  burgerUdi  [of  the  citi- 
zen class],  and  all  these  ladies,  half  of  whom  I  did 
not  know  before,  come  and  sit  in  my  small  room  and 
discuss — and,  as  yet,  do  not  disagree. 

January  6lh. 

*  *  *  The  people  here  are  so  much  pleased 
that  my  Louis  takes  such  active  part  in  all  his  duties — 
military  and  civil,  for  he  attends  the  different  offices, 
and  as  General,  I  hear,  he  keeps  great  order  where 
there  was  until  now  disorder  and  great  abuse  of 
power.  Of  course,  I  see  him  much  less,  and  some 
days  scarcely  at  all. 

On  the  14th  we  go  to  Gotha  for  about  a  fortnight, 
without  the  children. 

Gotha,  January  19th. 

Dear  Uncle  and  Aunt  are  well,  and  we  are  very 
happy  here,  for  they  are  always  kindness  itself  to  us. 
Uncle  looks  very  well,  but  he  grows  very  stout, 
I  think.  We  saw  the  Braitt  von  Messina  [Schiller's] 
so  well  given  two  nights  ago.  I  thought  so  much  of 
dear  Papa,  who  admired  it  greatly  ;  and  Uncle 
Er  ^old  me  he  had  it  given  for  you,  when  you 
firsi  -,ame  here. 

Gotha,  January  22(1. 

*  *     *     Two   nights  ago   Uncle,   Louis,  and  I, 


128  FJilA'CESS  ALICE. 

with  a  very  clever  old  actress,  read  a  piece  together. 
Louis  resisted  at  first,  hut  it  went  very  well.  You 
can't  imagine  how  mild  it  is.  1  have  the  windows 
always  open.  Gustav  Freitag  is  here.  I  am  always 
glad  to  see  him.  He  is  a  good  friend  to  Uncle,  and 
he  is  so  honest  and  straightforward. 

GoTHA,  January  26th, 
I  shall  be  very  sorry  to  go  away  from  here — the 
whole  atmosphere  does  one  good.    Dear  Uncle  is  so 
amusing  ;  he  speaks  of  interesting  things,  and  has 
interesting  people. 

Our  Quaker  acquaintances  have  sent  me  a  great 
deal  for  the  bazaar,  and  an  old  gentleman  who  heard 
of  it,  ico/. !  I  could  not  believe  my  eyes.  They  are 
always  so  generous  :  and,  hearing  of  my  undertak- 
ing a  work  of  this  sort,  they  sent  me  this  spon- 
taneously.    Is  it  not  kind  ? 

Darmstadt,  February  ist. 
It  is  spring  weather  here  altogether — quite  warm 
when  one  comes  out  of  the  house.  It  is  so  un- 
natural. The  children  enjoy  it,  and  are  out  a  great 
deal,  looking  so  well  and  strong  :  I  wish  you 
could  see  them.  The  little  one  is  growing  up  to  her 
sister  very  fast,  and  actually  wears  the  frocks  Vic- 
toria wore  last  year.  I  wish  you  could  hear  all  the 
extraordinary  things  Victoria  says.  Ella  is  civil  to  all 
strangers — excepting  to  my  mother-in-law,  or  to  old 
ladies.  It  is  too  tiresome.  There  is  a  large  ball 
given  by  the  officers  at  their  Casino  to-night,  to 
which  we  must  go.  It  will  be  crowded  and  hot. 
Our  house  gets  on  tolerably.  The  housek"  "^sr, 
a  Berlinerinn,  comes  on  the  20th,  and  we  ai->;'.old 
that  we  can  go  into  the  house  next  month.  I  can't 
help  doubting  it,  and  I  regret  leaving  this  nice  little 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 29 

house,  where  our  first  happy  years  have  been  spent. 
I  am  so  glad  that  you  have  at  least  been  in  the  new 
house,  so  that  I  can  always  think  that  you  are  no 
stranger  to  it,  which  makes  me  like  it  much  better. 

February  loth. 

"  "  '^  I  am  happy  to  think  you  are  quiet 
at  Osborne  after  all  you  had  to  go  through.  The 
emotion  and  all  other  feelings  recalled  by  such  an 
event  must  have  been  very  powerful  and  have  tried 
you  much.*  It  was  noble  of  you,  my  darling  Mama, 
and  the  great  effort  will  bring  compensation.  Think 
of  the  pride  and  pleasure  it  would  have  given  darling 
Papa — the  brave  example  to  others  not  to  shrink 
from  their  duty  ;  and  it  has  shown  that  you  felt  the 
intense  sympathy  which  the  English  people  evinced, 
and  still  evince,  in  your  great  misfortune. 

How  to-day  recalls  those  bright  and  happy  former 
years  !  There  is  no  cloud  without  a  silver  lining, 
and  the  lining  to  the  black  cloud  which  overshadows 
your  existence  is  the  bright  recollection  of  the  past 
blending  into  the  bright  hope  of  a  happy  future  ;  a 
small  part  of  it  also  is  the  intense  love  of  your  chil- 
dren and  nation,  which  casts  a  light  around  you 
which  many  live  to  enjoy  and  admire,  and  which  few 
— if  any — possess  like  you.  I  wish  I  could  have 
sent  a  fine  nosegay  of  orange  blossoms  for  to-day, 
but  they  could   not  have  arrived  fresh  so  I  gave  it 

Louis  sends  his  tenderest  love,  and  wishes  me  to 
say  how  much  his  thoughts  with  mine  are  to-day 
constantly  with  you.  He  is  very  industrious,  and 
has  a  great  deal  to  do  now,  and,  I  hear,  does  all  very 
well. 

*  The  opening  of  Parliament  by  the  Queen  for  the  first  time  after  the 
death  of  the  Prince  Consort. 


130  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Darmstadt,  February  15th. 

How  dear  of  you  to  have  written  to  me  on  the 
loth — a  day  of  such  recollections !  That  last 
happy  wedding-day  at  Buckingham  Palace,  how  well 
I  remember  it,  and  all  the  previous  ones  at  Windsor, 
when  we  all  stood  before  your  door,  waiting  for  you 
and  dear  Papa  to  come  out.  You  both  looked  so 
young,  bright,  and  handsome.  As  I  grew  older,  it 
made  me  so  proud  to  have  two  such  dear  parents  ! 
And  that  my  children  should  never  know  you  both 
together — that  will  remain  a  sorrow  to  me  as  long 
as  I  live. 

Darmstadt,  March  loth. 

*  *  *  Your  idea  of  Friedrichroda  for  us  was 
so  good,  but  alas  !  now  even  that  will  be  impracti- 
cable, on  account  of  money.  Louis  has  had  to  take 
up  money  again  at  Coutt's  to  pay  for  the  house,  and 
the  house  is  surety. 

We  must  live  so  economically — not  going  any- 
where, or  seeing  many  people,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
spare  as  much  a  year  as  we  can.  England  cost  us 
a  great  deal,  as  the  visit  was  short  last  time.  We 
have  sold  four  carriage  horses,  and  have  only  six  to 
drive  with  now,  two  of  which  the  ladies  constantly 
want  for  theatre,  visits,  etc.  ;  so  we  are  rather  badly 
off  in  some  things.  But  I  should  not  bore  you  with 
our  troubles,  which  are  easy  to  bear. 

March  16th. 
How  trying  the  visit  to  Aldershot  must  have  been, 
but  it  is  so  wise  and  kind  of  you  to  go.  I  cannot 
think  of  it  without  tears  in  my  eyes.  Formerly  that 
was  one  of  the  greatest  pleasures  of  my  girlhood, 
and  you  and  darling  Papa  looked  so  handsome  to- 
gether.    I  so  enjoyed  following  you  on  those  occa- 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  I3I 

sions.     Such  moments  I  should  Hke  to  call  back  for 
an  instant. 

Our  house  here  is  quite  empty,  and  the  demenage- 
ment  creates  such  work.  To-morrow  night  we  sleep 
for  the  first  time  in  the  new  house. 

March  lyth. 

I  write  from  our  dear  little  old  house.  May  dear 
Papa's  and  your  blessing-  rest  on  our  new  home,  as 
I  am  sure  it  will !  It  is  full  of  souvenirs  of  you  both 
— all  your  pictures,  photographs  of  dear  brothers 
and  sisters  and  home.  It  reminds  me  a  little  of 
Osborne,  of  Buckingham  Palace,  a  little  even  of 
Balmoral.  Could  I  but  show  it  to  darling  Papa!  If 
I  have  any  taste,  I  owe  it  all  to  him,  and  I  learned 
so  much  by  seeing  him  arrange  pictures,  rooms, 
etc. 

At  half-past  seven  we  go  into  our  house  to-night. 
Bender  is  to  say  a  prayer  and  pronounce  a  blessing, 
when  we  with  all  our  household  are  assembled  in 
hall  ;  only  Louis'  parents  and  William  besides  our- 
selves. Yours  and  dear  Papa's  I  pray  to  rest  on 
us. 

March  20th, 

That  [the  death  of  the  Duchess  of  Kent]  was 
the  commencement  of  all  the  grief;  but  with  dar- 
ling Papa,  so  full  of  tenderness,  sympathy  and  deli- 
cate feeling  for  you,  how  comparatively  easy  to  bear, 
compared  to  all  that  followed  ! 

*  *  '•■'  We  are  very  comfortably  established 
here,  and  I  can't  fancy  that  I  am  in  Germany,  the 
house  and  all  its  arrangements  being  so  English. 
When  can  we  hope  once  to  have  you  here  ?  Of 
course  that  is  the  summit  of  our  wishes.  Your 
rooms  are  on  the  east  side  and  very  cool — as  you 
always  go  abroad  when  it  is  hot,  and  suffer  so  much 


132  F J?  IN  CESS  ALICE. 

from  the   heat.     I  shall  die  of  it  this  year,  as  my 
rooms  are  to  the  west. 

March  24th. 

*  *  ^'  Our  grand-uncle  of  Homburg  has 
just  died,  so  that  Homburg  falls  to  Uncle  Louis  now. 
But  all  the  thinos  of  the  Landoravine  Elizabeth  o-q  to 
Princess  Reuss,  and  her  [Aunt  Elizabeth's  *]  rooms 
are  full  of  beautiful  miniatures,  oil-paintings,  and 
ornaments  c}i  masse,  like  Gloucester  House. 

I  shall  be  so  glad  to  see  dear  Affie.  His  rooms 
are  to  be  ready  by  this  evening.  The  house  is  very 
comfortable,  but  the  weather  is  awful — wind,  rain, 
and  sleet.     In  spite  of  it  the  house  is  so  cheerful. 

How  sorry  I  am  for  you  that  dear  Auntf  is  gone. 
As  she  was  so  well  this  time,  it  will  be  a  reason 
more  for  her  returning  soon  to  you. 

Dear  Lady  Frances  Baillie  was  with  me  on  Thurs- 
day, so  dear  and  charming. 

April  2d. 

*  *  *  We  are  living  in  such  a  state  of  anxi- 
ety and  alarm.  War  J  would  be  too  fearful  a  thing  to 
contemplate — brother  against  brother,  friend  against 
friend,  as  it  will  be  in  this  case  !  May  the  Almighty 
avert  so  fearful  a  calamity  !  Here,  at  Mayence  and 
Frankfort,  it  will  begin,  if  any  thing  happens,  as 
there  are  mixed  garrisons ;  and  we  must  side  with 
one  against  the  other.  For  Henry,  who  is  still  here, 
it  is  dreadful.  He  can't  desert  at  such  a  moment, 
and  yet  if  he  should  have  to  draw  his  sword  against 
his  country,  his  brothers  fighting  on  the  other  side ! 
Fancy  the  complications  and  horrors  of  such  a  war ! 

*  Princess  Elizabeth  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  Princess  Alice's  grand- 
aunt. 

f  Princess  Holienlohe. 

i  War  between  Prussia  and  Austria  was  now  imminent. 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  1 33 

For  Vicky  and  Fritz  it  is  really  dreadful  ;  please 
let  me  hear  by 'messeng-er  what  you  hear  from  them. 
I  am -sure  you  think  of  us  in  these  troubled  times. 
What  would  dear  Papa  have  said  to  all  this  ?  I  long 
to  hear  from  you,  to  know  that  your  warm  heart  is 
acting  for  Germany. 

March  26th. 

*  *  *  Yhe  dear  old  Queen  Marie  Amelie  *  is 
gone  to  her  rest  at  last,  after  a  long-  and  so  stormy  a 
life !  Claremont  is  now  also  altered.  How  sad 
those  constant  changfes  are  !  It  reminds  one  a^ain 
and  again  that  we  are  on  a  journey,  and  that  the 
real  ho^ne  is  elsewhere.  All  those  who  work  hard 
and  love  their  fellow-creatures  meet  again,  and  the 
thorny  path  will  be  forgotten  which  leads  to  the 
happy  meeting.  I  sincerely  mourn  for  the  dear 
Queen,  and  she  was  so  kind  to  me  always.  I  am 
glad  she  was  one  of  Victoria's  god-mothers. 

April  7th. 

*  *  *  Our  Bazaar  goes  off  wonderfully  :  7,000 
florins  the  first  day,  and  to-day  again  a  great  deal. 
Affie  was  invaluable  in  arranging,  selling,  and  assist- 
ing in  every  way.  There  have  been  crowds  these 
two  days,  as  in  England  :  something  quite  unusual 
for  the  quiet  inhabitants  of  this  place.  They  have 
shown  so  much  zeal  and  devotion  that  I  am  quite 
touched  by  it,  as  I  am  more  or  less  a  stranger  to 
them. 

April  25th. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  lines,  and  for  the 
money  and  charming  bas-relief  of  you,  which  I  think 
very  good.  I  thought  so  much  of  former  birthdays 
at    home  in   Buckingham    Palace.      They    were    so 

*  Widow  of  King  Louis  Philippe. 


134  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

happy.  We  did  nothing  in  particular  ;  merely  dined 
at  Kranichstein  with  Uncle  Louis  in  the  afternoon. 
It  was  warm  and  fine. 

The  money  will  go  at  once  to  Louis'  man  of  busi- 
ness toward  paying  off  the  furniture,  and  is,  indeed, 
very,  very  acceptable,  more  so  under  present  cir- 
cumstances than  any  thing  else  you  could  give  us  ; 
and  that  part  of  the  furniture  will  then  all  be  your 
present. 

May  3d. 

%  :}:  #  -pj^g  prospect  of  war  seems  to  be  near- 
ing  realization.  It  \\\\\  be  so  dreadful  if  it  does. 
God  be  with  us,  if  such  a  misfortune  befall  poor 
Germany !  These  prospects  have  already  done 
much  harm  to  trade.  The  large  manufacturies  send 
away  their  superfluous  workmen,  and  they  sell  next 
to  nothing.  Most  unpopular  amongst  high  and  low, 
and  amongst  people  of  all  opinions,  this  civil  war 
will  be.     *     *     * 

I  have  made  all  the  summer  out- walking  dresses, 
seven  in  number,  with  paletots  for  the  girls — not 
embroidered,  but  entirely  made  from  beginning  to 
end  ;  likewise  the  new  necessary  flannel  shawls  for 
the  expected.  I  manage  all  the  nursery  accounts, 
and  every  thing  myself,  which  gives  me  plenty  to 
do,  as  every  thing  increases,  and,  on  account  of  the 
^  house,  we  must  live  very  economically  for  these  next 
years. 

It  is  so  kind  of  you  to  give  Dr.  Priesdey  his  fee, 
otherwise  I  would  have  had  scruples  in  giving  so 
large  a  sum  for  my  own  comfort. 

If  there  is  a  war  then,  and  Louis  is  away,  what 
shall  I  do  ?  This  is  my  constant  dread  and  appre- 
hension. As  long  as  he  comes  home  safe  again — 
that  is  all  I  shall  think  of.     Please  God  to  spare  me 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  .  I35 

that  fearful  anxiety,  which  weighs  on  me  now  al- 
ready ;  for  he,  Raving  only  a  brigade,  could  not  keep 
out  of  danger,  like  Fritz  in  Schleswig. 

I  put  my  trust  wholly  in  the  Almighty,  who  has 
watched  over  and  blessed  our  life  so  richly  thus  far 
— so  much,  much  more  than  I  ever  deserved,  or  can 
deserve  ;  and  He  will  not  forsake  us  in  the  hour  of 
need,  I  am  sure. 

These  dangerous  times  make  one  very  serious 
and  anxious  ;  the  comfort  of  faith  and  trust  in  God, 
who  does  all  well  and  for  the  best,  is  the  only  sup- 
port. Life  is  but  a  pilgrimage — a  little  more  or  a 
little  less  sorrow  falls  to  one's  lot  ;  but  the  anticipa- 
tion of  evil  is  almost  as  great  a  suffering  as  the  evil 
itself,  and  mine  always  was  an  anxious  nature,  so  I 
cannot  banish  the  thoughts  which  all  the  dreadful 
chances  of  war  force  upon  one. 

May  7th. 

*  *  *  I  am  so  sorry  for  poor  Louise  and  Bea- 
trice, and  whooping-cough  is  a  nasty  thing,  though 
I  wish  we  could  complain  of  that  as  our  sufferings 
here.     Anxiety,  worry  without  end  ! 

Uncle  Alexander  returned  from  Vienna  two  days 
ago.  The  Emperor,  Uncle  Alexander  Mensdorff, 
all  frantic  at  being  forced  into  war,  but  fearing  now 
no  more  being  able  to  prevent  it.  Cannot  the  other 
three  Powers  interfere  and  step  between  at  this  dan- 
gerous crisis — proposing  a  Congress,  or  any  thing, 
so  as  to  avert  this  calamity  ? 

Henry,  who  was  here  on  six  weeks'  leave,  as  he 
and  Uncle  Louis  were  to  have  gone  to  Russia  (which 
now,  of  course,  they  won't  do),  had  suddenly  to  re- 
turn to  Bonn,  as  his  regiment  is  made  viobil.  Uncle 
Alexander  receives  the  command  of  the  8th  Armee- 
corps,  which  I  suppose  and  hope  will  be  stationed 


136  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

somewhere  near  here,  as  Louis  is  in  that,  and  is  to 
go.  He  means  to  go  to  BerHn  this  afternoon  for  a 
day  to  see  Fritz,  and  tell  him  how  circumstances  now 
force  him  to  draw  his  sword  against  the  Prussians  in 
the  service  of  his  own  country.  The  whole  thing  is 
dreadful,  and  the  prospect  of  being  left  alone  here  at 
such  a  moment  (for  all  our  people,  nearly,  will  accom- 
pany Louis)  is  dreadful !  If  I  were  only  over  my 
troubles  I  should  not  be  so  anxious,  so  nervous  and 
unhappy,  as  I  must  say  the  anticipation  of  all  these 
dreadful  things  makes  me.  Could  I  follow  in  the 
distance  !  But  now  that  is  impossible,  and  I  have 
not  a  single  older  married  person  near  me.  When 
dear  Louis  soes,  of  course  Westerweller  eoes  too. 
I  still  pray  and  hope  that  there  be  no  war  ;  even  if 
all  the  troops  are  assembled,  I  hope  that  the  other 
Powers  will  interfere,  and  not  look  on  whilst  these 
brothers  cut  each  others  throats.  It  is  such  an  un- 
natural, monstrous  war ! 

The  death  of  Lord  and  Lady  Rivers  is  dreadful 
for  their  children,  but  how  blessed  for  themselves! 
I  hope  Lady  Caroline  [Barrington]  will  pass  by  here, 
which  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to  me,  though  she  says 
she  can  but  stop  two  days,  as  you  wish  her  to  be 
home  by  the  i5th. 

May  1 8th. 

*  *  *  How  glad  I  am  to  hear  that  Lord 
Clarendon  is  still  hopeful !  Here  as  yet,  though 
there  is  no  distinct  reason  for  it,  save  the  repug- 
nance of  all  to  this  civil  war,  all  still  hope  to  avoid 
the  war.  Every  day  we  have  occasion  to  hear  how 
the  Prussians  detest  this  war — army  and  all — and 
there  are  constant  rows,  with  the  Landwehr  in  par- 
ticular. Men  of  forty,  who  have  families  and  homes 
to  look  after,  are  taken  away  with  their  sons ;  and 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  1 37 

those  who  have  horses  are  also  taken,  with  their 
horses  :  so  that»-the  wife  and  children  sit  at  home, 
unable  to  do  any  thing  for  their  land.  It  is  ruining 
numbers,  and  murmurs  get  louder  and  louder.  A 
revolution  must  break  out  if  this  continues.  "'"  *  * 
I  do  pray  most  fervently  that  the  King  will  listen  to 
the  just  advice,  in  no  way  derogatory  to  his  dignity, 
of  placing  the  hated  question  of  the  Duchies  before 
the  Confederation  ;  but  I  fear  he  won't.  If  he  would 
only  listen  to  that  advice  and  disarm,  all  Germany 
would  do  it  at  once — only  too  gladly — forgetting  all 
the  losses  in  the  happiness  of  peace  restored.  For- 
give my  stupid  letter,  but  we  live  really  so  in  the 
midst  of  these  affairs,  on  which  our  existence  will 
turn,  that  I  can  think  of  nothing  else. 

Austria  can't  hold  out  much  longer,  and  the 
country  is  getting  very  violent  against  the  King  and 
Bismarck.  The  Emperor  is  less  able  to  concede  and 
keep  peace. 

Now  good-bye,  dearest  Mama.  We  are  so  grate- 
ful to  you  for  taking  the  children,  if  any  thing  comes 
to  pass. 

May  22d. 

•'•  "■  ""  Any  thing  you  hear  of  Vicky  and  Fritz, 
will  you  write  it  to  me  ?  ""  "'"  '•'"  The  cloud 
grows  blacker  every  day,  and  the  anxiety  we  all 
live  in  is  very  great.  But  I  ought  not  to  write  to 
you  to-day  of  such  gloomy  things,  which,  thank 
God,  you  only  see  and  hear  of  from  the  other  side  of 
the  water. 

May  25th. 

*  ♦  :i:  "Y\x(^  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Nassau  were 
here  yesterday.  They,  like  me,  are  in  such  an  un- 
pleasant position,  should  it  come  to  blows,  which  I 
still  hope  may  be  averted — for  why  should  we  harm- 
less mortals  be  attacked  ? 


138  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

:•:  *  :i:  "^Ve  sliall  bc  bcggars  very  soon,  if  all 
goes  on  as  it  promises  to  do  ;  it  is  quite  dre;iaclful, 
and  the  want  of  other  people  (and  dissatisfaction) 
increases.  '''  *  '^'  I  have  ordered  a  good  trax^el- 
ling-bag  for  Louis,  for  much  the  same  reason  that 
some  people  take  out  an  umbrella  in  fine  weather  to 
keep  off  the  rain,  and  this  is  to  be  against  a  war. 
*  *  *  I  have  a  sort  of  Ahnimg  [presentiment 
that  it  won't  come  to  the  worst — for  us  at  least — anc 
here  we  shall  keep  so  quiet,  only  on  the  defensive, 
if  attacked. 

May  28th. 

*  :=:  %  There  seems  a  little  chance  of  the 
dreadful  prospects  being  bettered.  How  I  do  pray 
it  may  be  the  commencement  of  a  better  time  ;  and 
that,  if  peace  be  established,  it  may  be  so  firmly,  so 
that  one  may  not  live  in  the  daily  dread  of  new 
quarrels    re-opening    between    the    two    countries. 

The  man  who  built  our  house  has  nearly  been 
made  bankrupt,  and  wants  money  from  us  to  save 
him  from  ruin,  and  we  can  scarcely  manage  it.  The 
ruin  this  preparation  for  war,  and  consequent  cessa- 
tion of  all  speculations,  buildings,  or  trade,  has 
brought  on  people  is  dreadful,  and  of  course  in- 
creases.    *     *     * 

June  8th. 

*  *  *  How  precious  are  your  words  of  love 
and  sympathy  and  the  hope  you  still  hold  to,  that  war 
may  somehow  be  averted  !  It  does  me  good  to  hear 
it  ;  and  I  know  how  much,  and  how  lovingly,  your 
thoughts  dwell  with  dear  Vicky  and  with  me  during 
this  time  of  trial.     *     *     * 

June  13th. 

*  *     *     I  fear  if  the  Bund  orders  the  mobiliza- 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 39 

tion,  and  goes  against  Prussia,  our  troops  will  be 
the  first  to  go,  and  then  Louis  may  get  orders  to  be 
off  any  day.  It  is  too  dreadful !  1  live  in  such  dread 
that  he  may  have  to  go  just  before,  or  at  the  very 
moment  of  my  confinement.    ^    ^    ^'' 

I  hope  Scotland  will  do  you  good.  Please  God, 
when  you  return  matters  may  be  better.  If  Austria 
and  Prussia  would  only  fight  out  their  quarrel 
together ;  but  the  latter  has  taken  refuge  with  the 
Bund  now,  because  she  wanted  it. 

Darmstadt,  June  15th. 

*  *  *  The  serious  illness  of  poor  little  Sigis- 
mund  ^  in  the  midst  of  all  these  troubles  is  really 
dreadful  for  poor  Vicky  and  Fritz,  and  they  are  so 
fond  of  that  merry  little  child. 

We  have  just  received  the  news  that  the  Prussians 
have  crossed  our  frontier  and  established  themselves 
at  Giessen.  The  excitement  here  is  dreadful  and  it 
is  very  difficult  to  keep  people  back  from  doing 
stupid  things — wanting  to  attack,  and  so  on,  which 
with  our  force  alone  would  be  madness. 

Louis — as  always — remains  quiet ;  but  we  live  in 
a  perpetual  fever,  alarms  being  sent,  being  gehdzt 
[stirred  up]  from  Vienna,  as  they  want  the  Bund  to 
eo  with  them  at  once.  It  is  a  dreadful  time.  I  an- 
ticipate  it  will  be  the  close  of  the  existence  of  the 
little  countries.  God  stand  by  us  !  Without  the 
civil  list  Uncle  Louis  and  the  family  are  beggars,  as 
all  the  private  property  belongs  to  the  country. 

It  is  so  kind  of  dear  Lady  Ely  to  offer  to  come.  I 
shall  be  very  glad  of  it,  for  from  one  day  to  another  I 
don't  know  what  Louis'  duties  may  be  ;  and,  when  I 
am  laid  up,  it  is  so  pleasant  to  have  some  one  who 
can  write  to  you. 

*  Son  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess  of  Prussia.     Set  ante,  p.  93. 


140  PRINCESS  ALICE, 

June  iSth. 

These  lines  I  send  by  our  children,  whom  you  will 
so  kindly  take  charge  of— alas,  that  the  times  should 
be  such  as  to  make  this  necessary  !  In  your  dear 
hands  they  will  be  so  safe  ;  and  if  we  can  give  you 
a  little  pleasure  in  sending  them,  it  would  be  a  real 
consolation  in  parting  from  them,  which  we  both 
feel  very  much. 

The  state  of  excitement  here  is  beyond  descrip- 
tion. Troops  arriving,  being  billeted  about — all  will 
be  concentrated  from  here  to  Frankfort.  Two  days 
ago  the  Bund  telegraphed  for  Uncle  Alexander  to 
come,  as  the  Prussians  were  advancing ;  we,  of 
course,  were  all  unprepared,  and  the  confusion  and 
fright  were  dreadful  ;  but,  thank  God,  they  retreated 
again,  when  they  got  wind  that  troops  were  assem- 
bling. 

June  24th, 

*  *  *  The  state  of  affairs  is  awful  ;  perpetual 
frights  and  false  news  arrive.  The  Prussians  are 
coming  from  Wetzlar  or  Bingen  ;  all  the  bustle  and 
alarm  for  necessary  defence  ;  it  is  really  dreadful. 
Louis'  chief  has  his  staff  at  Frankfort.  Louis'  cav- 
alry brigade  is  there  likewise,  so  he  has  his  adjutant, 
etc.,  there,  and  does  his  work  early  in  the  morning 
at  Frankfort,  returning  here  in  the  afternoon,  which 
has  been  kindly  allowed  on  account  of  me.  I  remain 
here,  of  course,  as  near  dear  Louis  as  I  can  ;  and 
now  that  the  children  are  gone,  I  have  only  myself  to 
look  after.  *  *  *  I  have  not  the  least  fear,  but 
my  anxiety  about  Louis  will  be  very  great,  as  you 
can  imagine.  '^^  '''  '''  Collections  are  already 
being  made  for  the  hospitals  in  the  field,  and  the 
necessary  things  to  be  got  for  the  soldiers.  Illness 
and  wounds  will  be  dreadful  in  this   heat.     Coarse 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  I4I 

linen  and  rags  are  the  things  of  which  one  can't  have 
enough,  and  I  am  working,  collecting  shirts,  sheets, 
etc.  ;  and  now  I  come  to  ask,  if  you  could  send  me 
some  old  linen  for  rags.  In  your  numerous  house- 
holds it  is  collected  twice  a  year,  and  sent  to 
hospitals.  Could  I  beg  for  some  this  time  ?  It 
would  be  such  a  blessing  for  the  poor  Germans  ;  and 
here  they  are  not  so  rich,  and  that  is  a  thing  of 
which  in  every  war  there  has  been  too  little.  Lint 
I  have  ordered  from  England  by  wish  of  the  doctors  ; 
and  bandages  also  they  wished  for.  If  you  could, 
through  Dr.  Jenner,  procure  me  some  of  these 
things,  I  should  be  so  grateful.  ^''  "*  ^'  Four 
dozen  shirts  we  are  making  in  the  house.  Every 
contribution  of  linen  or  of  patterns  of  good  cush- 
ions, or  any  good  bed  which  in  the  English  hospitals 
has  been  found  useful,  we  should  be  delighted  to 
have.  *  *  *  Pqj.  ^|-^g  moment  the  people  beg 
most  for  rags ;  our  house  being  new,  we  have 
none.  I  am  tolerably  well,  and  cannot  be  too  thank- 
ful for  good  nerves.  Louis  is  very  low  at  times, 
nervous  at  leaving  me  ;  and  for  him  I  keep  up, 
though  at  times  not  without  a  struggle.  May  the 
Almighty  watch  over  us,  and  not  separate  us,  is  my 
hourly  prayer  ! 

In  your  hands  we  feel  the  children  so  safe,  though 
we  miss  them  much.  It  is  so  kind  of  you  to  have 
taken  them,  and  they  are  strong  and  healthy.   *    '•'    * 

June   25th. 

Two  w^ords  by  Lady  Ely's  courier.  I  am  so  glad 
she  is  here.  She  performed  the  journey  in  a  day 
and  night  without  difficulty  ;  and  Christa,  who 
merely  came  from  Cassel,  took  three  days  coming 
by  road. 

Alas  !    to-morrow  Louis'  division   moves  on  into 


142  F/?/A^CESS  ALICE. 

the  country  to  make  room  for  other  troops,  and  he 
must  go.  It  will  be  too  far  for  him  to  return — save 
with  special  permission  for  a  few  hours — so  we  shall 
have  to  part.  My  courage  is  beginning  to  fail  me, 
but  I  bear  up  as  best  I  can.  God  knows  what  a 
bitter  trial  it  is  !  He  is  just  in  front,  so  the  first  ex- 
posed. William  is  to  go  in  Uncle  Alex.'s  staff,  and 
my  poor  mama-in-law  is  beginning  to  break  down 
now.  We  try  to  cheer  each  other.  The  whole 
thing  is  so  hard  :  against  her  countrymen — there 
where  Louis  has  served.  The  whole  thing  is  so 
contrccoeiw,  and  the  Prussian  soldiers  dislike  it  as 
much  as  we  do. 

I  am  going  to  Frankfort  with  ever  so  many  poor 
wives  to  take  leave  of  their  husbands,  who  march  to- 
day. 

The  heat  is  awful.  I  have  no  time  to  think  of 
myself,  or  I  daresay  I  should  have  heat,  etc.,  to  com- 
plain of.  Being  still  off  and  on  with  Louis,  and  hav- 
ing things  to  do,  keeps  me  up  ;  but  when  he  is  gone, 
and  I  have  no  man  here  to  reassure  me,  it  will 
be  dreadful. 

I  must  close.  *  *  *  Letters  from  home  now 
are  such  a  pleasure  ;  do  let  any  one  write  to  me 
sometimes  to  give  me  news  of  you  all.  Your  own 
child,  Alice. 

Darmstadt,  July  ist. 
■^  "  *  The  parting  mnv  was  so  hard  !  and  he 
feels  it  so  dreadfully.  I  can  scarcely  manage  to 
write.  The  heat,  besides,  is  overpowering.  Our 
dear  wedding-day  four  years  ago !  Four  years  of 
undisturbed,  real,  and  increasing  happiness.  How  I 
thank  and  bless  the  Almighty  for  them,  and  how 
fervently  I  pray  that  we  may  live  over  this  most  bit- 
ter trial ! 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  1 43 

*  *  "^  Whether  Henry  is  engaged  or  not  we 
don't  know,  and^can  get  no  news  of  him.  At  any 
rate  he  is  cut  off  from  news  of  us  and  the  rest  of 
Germany  ;  and,  as  our  army  is  moving,  and  he  is  on 
the  extreme  wing,  at  any  moment  he  may  find  him- 
self opposite  to  his  own  brothers  and  countrymen.  It 
is  most  painful,  and  has  been  to  my  poor  father-in- 
law  a  great  shock,  as  we  all  hoped  he  had  got  away. 
Please  let  my  brothers  know  this.  They  will  feel  for 
this   unheard-of  position   for  three    brothers   to    be 

•  JSi  A'-  A'. 

m.      

Dear  Lady  Ely  is  a  comfort  and  support  to  me,  and 
it  was  quite  a  relief  to  Louis  to  leave  her  with  me. 
We  are  both  so  grateful  that  she  came.  Christa  is 
quite  out  of  sorts  about  her  country,  and  sees  every 
thing  black.  Marie  is  low  about  her  brother  ;  and 
we  are  so  in  the  middle  of  it  all,  that  an  English  per- 
son who  has  no  one  concerned  in  it  all  is  really  a 
relief. 

I  am  so  glad  that  you  are  pleased  with  the  little 
ones.  You  be  sure,  I  know,  not  to  let  them  get  in 
the  way  of  infection,  if  there  is  still  any. 

July  3d. 

*  *  *  Poor  Vicky !  She  bears  her  trial  [the 
death  of  her  son,  Prince  Sigismund]  bravely,  and  it 
is  a  heavy  one  indeed.  This  dreadful  war  is  enough 
to  break  one's  heart.  Those  lives  sacrificed  for 
nothing — and  what  will  be  the  end  of  it  all  ?  All  our 
troops  are  gone  now,  too,  and,  what  is  so  unpleasant, 
of  course  we  here  don't  know  where  they  go  to — 
where  they  are.  Letters  are  fetched  by  the  Feld- 
post,  and  as  they  are  chiefly  not  near  the  railroads — 
at  least  not  Louis — we  cannot  telegraph.  At  such  a 
moment  I  know  dear  Louis  fidgets  dreadfully  for 
news,  and  I  not  less.  Since  he  has  gone  I  have 
heard  nothing. 


144  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

At  length  letters  from  Henry  have  come.  He 
never  received  until  the  29th  the  telegram  his 
parents  begged  the  King  to  send  him  on  the  i8th, 
for  the  King  said  he  did  not  know  where  he  was — 
thought  he  was  in  Russia!  He  has  been  in  all  the 
engagements,  wondering  why,  as  was  originally 
arranged,  no  order  came  for  him  to  leave. 

I  am  so  very  uncomfortable,  and  it  wants  courage 
and  patience  and  hope,  under  such  circumstances,  to 
bear  all.  Of  course,  anxiety  about  beloved  Louis  is 
the  chief  thinir,  and  loncrinor  for  news.  The  Prus- 
sians  are  collecting  a  large  army  near  Thuringen,  in 
which  direction  ours  are  marching.  Probably  Uncle 
Ernest  against  ours!  He  mioht  so  well  have  re- 
mained  quiet,  and  sent  his  troops  to  Mayence,  as 
was  settled. 

For  dear  Lenchen's  wedding-day  receive  every 
warm  and  affectionate  wish.  May  God's  blessing 
rest  on  their  union  !  I  am  so  glad  you  are  pleased 
with  the  dear  children.  I  have  already  found  that 
likeness  in  Ella  to  Affie's  picture  by  Thorburn,  but 
she  is  so  like  dear  Louis. 

July  6th, 

*  *  *  There  seems  a  chance  of  an  armistice. 
I  trust  it  is  so,  and  that  peace  will  ensue.  The 
enormous  bloodshed  on  both  sides  this  fortnight  is 
too  awful  to  think  of.  Poor  Austria !  it  is  hard  for 
her.  But  as  she  is  said  to  be  ready  to  cede  Venice, 
then,  at  least,  the  Italian  war  will  be  at  an  end. 

Surely  the  neutral  Powers  will  try  and  prevent 
Austria  and  Prussia  beginning  again  ;  it  is  too 
horrid ! 

The  rest  of  Germany  now  must  knock  under  ;  but 
that  is  better  than  acjain  shedding-  so  much  blood  on 
the  chance  of  getting  the  upper  hand. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  1 45 

I  have  had  some  hnes  from  dear  Louis  from  the 
north  of  Hesse.^  He  is  well  ;  how  I  do  hope  now 
that  they  won't  come  to  blows. 

How  kind  of  you  to  give  the  children  frocks  for 
the  wedding  !  Will  you  kiss  the  dear  little  ones  from 
me  ?      I  miss  them  very  much. 

[In  a  letter  dated  July  1 1,  1866,  Prince  Louis  an- 
nounces to  the  Queen  the  birth  of  a  strong,  healthy 
girl,  with  "  dark  eyes  and  brown  hair."] 

Darmstadt,  July  19th. 

Beloved  Mama  : —  What  a  time  I  have  passed 
during  these  eight  days  since  baby's  birth  !  Firstly, 
I  have  to  thank  the  Almighty  for  having  preserved 
my  own  sweet  and  adored  husband,  and  for  the 
blessing  of  having  had  him  by  me,  so  dear,  so 
precious,  during  my  confinement.  After  three  days 
he  had  to  go,  and  when  he  got  near  Aschaffenburg 
found  fiehtinof  ofoinof  on.  We  could  hear  the  cruns 
here.  The  Prussians  shot  from  the  roofs  of  the 
houses  ;  they  fought  in  the  streets  ;  it  must  have 
been  horrid.  Our  troops  retreated  (as  had  always 
been  intended)  in  perfect  order.  The  wounded  were 
brought  in  here  the  following  day.  The  13th  and 
14th  they  fought.  Louis  was  there  on  the  14th  ; 
since  then  I  have  not  seen  him — God  knows  when  I 
shall  again. 

The  Prussians  have  taken  Frankfort,  and  they  are 
at  home  here.  No  communications  allowed  ;  get  no 
papers  or  letters  ;  may  send  none  1  An  existence  of 
monstrous  anxiety  and  worry,  which  it  is  impossible 
for  those  to  imagine  who  have  not  lived  through  it. 

I  had  a  letter  from  Louis  from  the  Odenwald  this 
morning,  written  yesterday.    They  expected  to  pass 


146  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Amorbach  to-day.     They  are  trying*  to    meet   the 
Bavarians,  who  are  never  to  be  found. 

I  long  for  a  letter  from  you.  We  have  none  at 
all.  I  have  had  none  from  you  since  baby's  birth. 
The  people,  who  are  such  cowards  and  so  silly,  fly 
from  here  in  all  available  droschkies. 

How  I  pray  some  end  may  soon  come  to  this  hor- 
rid bloodshed!  Ah!  the  misery  around  us  you 
can't  imagine.  Henry  has  never  received  his  dis- 
charge, and  has  gone  unscathed,  in  spite  of  being  so 
exposed  through  all  these  battles. 

I  myself  am  very  well,  and  I  don't  give  way, 
though  the  anxiety  about  Louis  leaves  me  no  peace. 

Baby  is  well  and  very  pretty.  The  time  she  came 
at  prevented  a  thought  of  disappointment  at  her 
being  a  girl.  Only  gratitude  to  the  Almighty  filled 
our  hearts,  that  I  and  the  child  were  well,  and  that 
dear  Louis  and  I  were  together  at  the  time.  The 
times  are  hard ;  it  wants  all  a  Christian's  courage  and 
patience  to  carry  one  through  them  ;  but  there  is  one 
Friend  who  in  the  time  of  need  does  not  forsake 
one,  and  He  is  my  comfort  and  support.  God  bless 
you,  my  own  Mama,  and  pray  for  your  child, 

Alice. 

Friday,  July  27111,  9  o'clock  p.m. 

At  this  moment  the  messenger  has  arrived,  to 
leave  again  at  five  to-morrow  morning,  A  thousand 
thanks  for  your  dear  letter,  the  first  I  have  received 
since  baby's  birth ! 

To-night  (since  Sunday  no  news  of  Louis)  at 
length  I  have  heard  that  dear  Louis  is  well. 
These  last  four  days  they  have  been  fighting  again. 
I  had  a  few  lines  from  him.  These  last  two  niofhts 
he  slept  in  a  field,  and  the  country  is  so  poor,  that 
they  had  nothing  but  a  little  bread  during  two  days 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  1 47 

to  eat.  Now  the  Prussians,  having  made  peace 
with  Austria,  and  having  refused  it  to  us,  are  advanc- 
ing on  our  troops  from  three  sides. 

I  can  scarcely  write ;  this  anxiety  is  kilHng  me, 
and  my  love  has  been  so  exposed!  All  are  in  ad- 
miration of  his  personal  bravery  and  tender  atten- 
tion to  the  suffering  and  want  of  all  around.  He 
never  thinks  of  himself,  and  shares  all  the  dangers 
and  privations  with  the  others. 

Louis  says  they  long  for  peace.  He  disapproves 
the  different  Governments  for  not  now  giving  way 
to  Prussia,  and  begs  me  to  use  my  influence  with 
Uncle  Louis  to  accept  Prussian  conditions  to  spare 
further  bloodshed. 

From  all  parts  of  the  country  the  people  beg  me 
to  do  what  I  can. 

The  confusion  here  is  awful,  the  want  of  money 
alarming  ;  right  and  left  one  must  help.  As  the  Prus- 
sians pillaged  here,  I  have  many  people's  things  hid- 
den in  the  house.  Even  whilst  in  bed  I  had  to  see 
gentlemen  in  my  room,  as  there  were  things  to  be 
done  and  asked  which  had  to  come  straight  to  me. 
Then  our  poor  wounded — the  wives  and  mothers  beg- 
ging I  should  inquire  for  their  husbands  and  children. 
It  is  a  state  of  affairs  too  dreadful  to  describe. 

The  new  anxiety  to-night  of  knowing  a  dreadful 
battle  is  expected,  perhaps  going  on,  in  which  dear 
Louis  again  must  be !  I  can  scarcely  bear  up  any 
longer  ;  I  feel  it  is  getting  too  much.  God  Almighty 
stand  by  us  !  My  courage  is  beginning  to  sink.  I 
see  no  light  anywhere  ;  and  my  own  beloved  husband 
still  in  danger,  and  we  cannot  hear,  for  the  Prussians 
are  between  us  and  them.  Any  thing  may  have 
happened  to  him,  and  I  can't  hear  it  or  know  it !  I 
could  not  go  to  him  were  he  wounded. 


148  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

What  I  have  suffered  and  do  suffer  no  words  can 
describe — the  sleepless  nights  of  anxiety,  the  long 
days  without  news — how  I  pray  it  may  soon  end, 
and  dear  darling  Louis  be  spared  me ! 

In  these  days  I  have  so  longed  to  hear  from  you. 
It  would  have  been  such  a  comfort,  and  I  longed  for 
it  much. 

If  we  live,  and  peace  is  restored,  the  country  and 
every  thing  will  be  in  such  a  mess,  and  both  of  us 
in  such  want  of  change,  that  we  must  go  somewhere  ; 
but  we  shall  then,  I  fear,  be  next  to  ruined.  You 
can't  think  what  war  in  one's  own  country — in  a  little 
one  like  this — is !  The  want  is  fearful.  I  must  eo 
to  bed,  as  it  is  late.  I  am  well,  so  is  the  little  one  ; 
but  I  can't  sleep  or  eat  well  all  along ;  and  the  worry 
of  mind  and  much  to  do  keep  me  weak. 

Oh,  that  we  were  together  again  !  Good-bye  be- 
loved Mama.  These  next  days  I  fear  will  be  dread- 
ful. May  the  Almighty  watch  over  dear  Louis !  You 
will  pray  for  him,  won't  you  ? 

P.  S. — The  standard  of  Louis'  cavalry  regiment, 
which  they  did  not  take  with  them,  and  which  is 
usually  kept  at  the  Schloss,  is  in  my  room  for  safety. 

Forgive  the  shocking  writing,  but  I  am  so  upset 
to-night,  since  my  messenger  of  Tuesday  returned 
with  Louis'  letter. 

Darmstadt,  August  4th. 

*  *  *  The  linen,  etc.,  for  the  wounded  has  ar- 
rived, and  been  so  useful ;  a  thousand  thanks  for  it ! 
Matters  here  change  from  one  day  to  another,  and  I 
hope  Louis  may  soon  be  able  to  return  with  the 
troops.  Uncle  Louis  I  do  hope  and  pray  will  then 
return,  and  I  hope  he  will  regain  the  favor  which  he 
had  lost,  for  any  change  now  would  be  dreadful. 

My  father-in-law   is  really  in  such  a  state  since 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  1 49 

these  events,  and  his  nerves  so  shattered,  that  my 
mother-in-law  tpembles  for  him,  and  tries  to  keep 
him  out  of  all.  He  is  so  angry,  so  heartbroken  at 
the  loss  of  Oberhessen,  which  is  probable,  that  he 
wishes  not  to  outlive  it.  My  poor  mama-in-law 
burst  into  tears  this  morning  in  my  room,  where  this 
scene  took  place. 

I  have  just  returned  from  having  been  to  inquire 
after  the  wounded  at  the  different  hospitals  and 
houses,  which  are  filling  fast  as  they  can  be  brought 
from  Aschaffenburg,  Laufach,  etc.  As  soon  as  I  am 
better,  I  will  go  to  them  myself ;  but  the  close  and 
crowded  wards  turn  one  easily  faint. 

Becker  saw  Louis  three  days  ago,  and  accompa- 
nied him  to  Munich  for  a  day.  I  hear  he  is  well, 
though  for  six  nights  he  had  slept  out  of  doors,  and 
the  last  three  nights  it  had  poured  incessantly  ;  and 
all  that  time — on  account  of  ours  not  having  a  truce, 
and  expecting  to  be  attacked — they  were,  being  such  a 
mass  together,  without  provisions,  barely  a  morsel  of 
bread.  I  am  so  distressed  about  poor  Anton  Hohen- 
zollern  and  Obernitz  ;  so  many  acquaintances  and 
friends  have  fallen  on  both  sides,  it  is  dreadful ! 

The  town  is  full  of  Prussians.  I  hope  they  will 
not  remain  too  long,  for  they  pay  for  nothing,  and 
the  poor  inhabitants  suffer  so  much.  There  is  chol- 
era in  the  Prussian  army, .and  one  soldier  lies  here 
ill  of  it.     I  hope  it  won't  spread. 

August  13th, 

-X-  :i:  :i:  jj.  j^  fearful.  Thosc  who  have  seen  the 
misery  war  brings  with  it,  near  by — the  sufferings, 
the  horror — know  well  what  a  scourge  it  is.  May 
the  Almighty  spare  our  poor  Germany  this  new  evil! 
I  forgot  to  thank  you  in  Louis'  name,  as  he  had  told 
me,  for  your  letter,  which  he  found  here  on  his  re- 


ISO  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

turn.  He  is  to-day  still  at  Berlin,  and  we  are  so 
grateful  for  your  having  written  to  good  Fritz. 
What  he  can  do  I  know  he  will. 

Uncle  Louis  is  still  at  Munich,  and  I  don't  think  he 
will  abdicate  ;  besides,  he  is  at  this  moment  doing 
what  his  country  wishes. 

I  received  a  letter  from  Julie  Battenberg,  saying 
what  Uncle  Alexander  had  written  to  her  about 
Louis  :  "Z^  Prince  Alexandre  m  ecrit  qiiil  a  obtenti 
du  Grand  Due  la  demission  de  Ferglas"  (who  com- 
manded the  troops  so  badly),  "  et  la  nomination  du 
Prince  Louis  en  commandement  de  nos  troupes ;  il 
me  dit  a  cette  occasion  que  voire  Mari  pendant  cette 
trisie  campagne  s  est  fait  aimer  et  apprecier  de  loid  le 
Tnonde  qiiil  sest  fait  une  excellente  reputation,  et 
quit  sera  rcQu  a  bras  ouverts  par  la  troupe!'  *  *  * 
It  is  a  large  command  for  one  so  young,  and  with  so 
little  experience — all  the  more  so,  as  we  don't  know 
how  long  peace  may  last.  He  is  sent  to  Berlin,  as 
the  country  all  look  to  Louis  to  prevent  new  evil  ; 
and  all  this  without  poor  Louis  having  any  direct 
position  of  heir  to  be  able  to  enforce  his  opinion. 
He  has  no  easy  life  of  it. 

The  horse  you  gave  Louis  he  rode  in  the  different 
engagements,  and  praised  him  very  much.  He 
stood  the  fire  quite  well,  but  not  the  bursting  of  the 
shells  close  by. 

About  the  children,  the  23d  is  quite  soon  enough 
for  their  departure. 

We  shall  not  call  baby  "  Irene,"  unless  all  seems 
really  peaceful,  and  at  this  moment  it  does  not  look 
promising.  I  am  very  sad  and  dismayed  at  the 
whole  lookout.  My  mother-in-law  was  so  pleased 
with  your  letter,  and  thanks  you  warmly  for  it. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  1 5 1 

NiFRSTEIN,  GeLBES  HaUS,  AugllSt  17th. 

This  dear  dayi- makes  me  think  so  much  of  you,  of 
home,  and  of  those  two  dear  ones  whose  memories 
are  so  precious,  and  who  live  on  with  us,  and  make 
me  often  think  that  we  had  parted  only  yesterday. 

We  are  so  pleased  at  your  saying  that  you  claim 
Louis  as  your  son.  He  always  considers  himself 
in  particular  your  child,  and  if  any  thing  helps  to 
stimulate  him  in  doing  his  duty  well,  it  is  the  sincere 
wish  of  being  worthy  to  claim  and  deserve  that  title. 
Darling  Papa  would  be  proud  of  him,  and  pleased 
to  see  how  earnestly  he  takes  his  duties,  and  how 
conscientiously  and  unselfishly  he  fulfils  them,  for  he 
has  had  and  still  has  many  trials — tilings  I  can  tell 
you  of  when  we  meet  again. 

Life  is  such  a  pilgrimage,  and  so  uncertain  is  its 
duration  that  all  minor  troubles  are  forgotten 
and  easily  borne,  when  one  thinks  what  one  must 
live  for. 

Before  leaving  Darmstadt  yesterday  to  come  here, 
we  went  to  see  some  of  the  wounded  again.  One 
poor  man  had  died  since  I  was  last  there  :  he  had 
been  so  patient,  and  had  sufifered  so  much.  Another 
had  had  an  operation  performed  and  was  very  low — 
he  was  crying  like  a  child.  I  could  scarcely  comfort 
him,  he  held  my  hand  and  always  moaned  out  "  Es 
brennt  so"  [It  burns  so].  Such  nice  people  most 
of  those  young  men  are — very  young,  and  for  that 
class  so  well  educated.  All  who  are  well  enough 
are  reading. 

I  must  praise  the  ventilation  and  cleanliness  in  the 
different  hospitals  ;  in  these  things  they  have  made 
wonderful  progress  here. 

We  are  here  in  Rheinhcssen,  as  Louis  has  to  take 
his  command.     This  place,  Nierstein,  lies  between 


153  ri^ IX CESS  ALICE. 

Worms  and  Mayence,  and  all  our  troops  are  quar- 
tered about  here.  Louis'  staff  is  at  Worms,  where 
he  himself  is  to-day,  and  was  already  last  night. 

He  was  more  hopeful  about  the  prospects  for 
Oberhessen  on  his  return  from  Berlin, and  had  been 
so  kindly  received  by  dear  Vicky  and  Fritz. 

When  Louis  wrote  his  farewell  to  his  cavalry 
brigade  (who  are  so  sorry  to  lose  him),  as  a  remem- 
brance that  he  and  they  had  stood  in  the  field  to- 
gether for  their  first  campaign,  he  asked  these  two 
regiments,  officers  and  men,  to  stand  sponsors  to 
baby,  as  she  was  born  during  that  time,  and  they 
are  delighted,  but  wish  the  child  to  have  one  of  their 
names !  We  wait  till  the  troops  can  come  home  to 
christen  baby  on  that  account.  ''"  '''  *  I  don't 
think  we  shall  be  here  very  long.  Whenever  the 
Prussians  leave  Darmstadt  we  can  return. 

NiERSTEIN,   GeLBES  HaUS,  AugUSt  2ISt. 

*  *  ^'  We  are  here  still,  and  all  our  troops, 
and  Louis  has  a  great  deal  to  do.  To-morrow  the 
armistice  is  over,  and  at  present  we  have  no  news  as 
to  its  prolongation  or  the  settlement  of  peace  ;  but 
it  must  be  one  or  other.  A  little  private  war  of 
Prussia  against  us  would  be  absurd  and  impossible, 
so  the  troops  remain  quartered  in  the  little  villages 
about  here.  The  country  here  is  so  rich  and  fertile, 
the  villages  so  clean,  with  such  good  houses  ;  but 
the  people  are  blessed  with  children  to  an  extraordi- 
nary extent!  It  is  the  most  richly  populated  part  of 
all  Germany,  and  there  are  more  people  on  the 
square  mile  than  in  England. 

The  chanofe  of  air — thouirh  it  is  but  two  hours 
from  Darmstadt — has  done  me  good,  and  if  later, 
through  your  great  kindness,  a  little  journey  should 
be  possible  to  us,  it  would  be  very  beneficial  to  both 
of  us. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 53 

This  house  is  quite  close  to  the  Rhine,  and  this 
instant  our  pioneers  have  come  by  from  Worms  on 
their  .pontoon  bridge  singing  a  quartett,  about 
twenty  or  thirty  men.  It  looks  so  pretty,  and  they 
sing  so  beautifully.  On  their  marches  the  soldiers 
always  sing,  and  they  have  so  many  beautiful  songs, 
such  as  :  •'  Der  gute  Kamerad."  The  Germans  are 
such  "di geinuthlich  [simple,  kindly,  sociable]  people. 
The  more  one  lives  with  them,  the  more  one  learns 
to  appreciate  them.  It  is  a  fine  nation.  God  grant 
this  war,  which  has  produced  so  many  heroes,  and 
cost  so  many  gallant  lives,  may  not  have  been  in 
vain,  and  that  at  length  Germany  may  become  a 
mighty,  powerful  Power !  It  will  then  be  the  first  in 
the  world,  where  the  great  ideas  and  thoughts  come 
from,  free  from  narrow-minded  prejudice,  and  when 
once  the  Germans  have  attained  political  freedom, 
they  will  be  lastingly  happy  and  united. 

But  the  present  state  of  things  is  sad,  though  one 
should  not  despair  of  some  good  resulting  from  it. 

My  letter  is  quite  confused.  I  beg  a  thousand 
pardons  for  it,  but  I  have  been  interrupted  so  often. 

Gelbes  Haus,  August  29th. 
*  *  *  The  children  arrived  well  and  safe,  and 
in  such  good  looks.  It  was  a  great  pleasure  to  see 
them  again  ;  and  I  tried  to  make  Victoria  tell  me  as 
much  as  possible  of  dear  Grandma  and  uncles  and 
aunts,  and  when  she  is  not  absent-minded  she  is 
very  communicative.  How  much  we  thank  you, 
darling  Mama,  for  having  kept  them  and  been  so 
good  to  them  I  can't  tell  you.  This  change  has  been 
so  good  for  them  ;  for  now  there  are  both  cholera  and 
small-pox  at  Darmstadt,  which  is  still  full  of  Prussian 
soldiers.  More  have  come,  and  our  peace  is  not 
yet  concluded.  I  hope  it  is  no  bad  sign,  and  that 
the  hopes  of  losing  less  will  not  disappear. 


154  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

We  were  only  in  Darmstadt  for  the  day  when  the 
children  arrived,  and  we  go  there  for  a  few  hours  to- 
morrow on  business.  Louis  has  a  great  deal  to  do, 
and  all  the  military  things  are  in  his  hands. 

I  am  not  feeling  very  well.  The  air  here  after  a 
few  days  is  relaxing,  and  I  begin  to  feel  more  what 
a  strain  there  has  been  on  my  nerves  during  this 
time.  I  have  such  a  pain  in  my  side  again.  Moun- 
tain air  Weber  wants  me  to  have,  and  quiet,  away 
from  all  bothers  ;  but  I  fear  that  is  impossible  now, 
on  account  of  Louis  not  being  able  to  leave — and 
then  financially. 

I  have  some  Heimweh  [home-sickness]  after  dear 
England,  Balmoral,  and  all  at  home,  I  own,  though 
the  joy  of  being  near  dear  Louis  again  is  so  great ! 
But  life  is  meant  for  work,  and  not  for  pleasure,  and 
I  learn  more  and  more  to  be  grateful  and  content 
with  that  which  the  Almighty  sends  me,  and  to  find 
the  sunshine  in  spite  of  the  clouds  ;  for  when  one 
has  one's  beloved,  adored  husband  by  one's  side, 
what  is  there  in  the  world  that  is  too  heavy  to  bear? 
My  own  darling  Mama,  when  I  think  of  darling  Papa 
and  of  you,  and  that  he  is  not  visible  at  your  side 
now,  I  long  to  clasp  you  to  my  heart,  in  some  way 
to  cheer  the  loneliness  which  is  a  poor  widow's  lot. 
Oh,  none  in  the  world  is  harder  than  that ! 

Darmstadt,  August  31st. 
*  *  *  Thank  you  for  telling  me  how  you 
spent  that  dear  day  ;  it  must  have  been  peaceful  and 
solemn,  the  beautiful  country  harmonizing  well  with 
the  thoughts  of  that  great  and  beautiful  soul  which 
ever  lives  on  with  us.  He  remains  nearer  and  nearer 
to  me,  and  the  recollection  of  many  things  dear  Papa 
told  me  is  a  help  and  a  stay  in  my  actions,  particu- 
larly of  late.     The  separation  seems  so  short.     I  can 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  I  55 

see  him  and  hear  him  Speak  SO  plainl}\  Alas!  my 
children  have  n-ever  seen  him.  Through  you,  dar- 
hng  Mama,  ana  in  your  rooms,  and  at  your  side,  they 
must' learn  to  know  him,  that  they  may  become 
worthy  of  their  descent. 

Yesterday  we  saw  the  children.  Victoria  is  not 
quite  well,  but  Ella  is  well,  and  won't  leave  me 
when  I  come  into  the  room  ;  she  keeps  kissing  me 
and  putting  her  fat  arms  round  my  neck.  There  is 
each  time  a  scene  when  I  go  away.  She  is  so  af- 
fectionate :  so  is  dear  Victoria.  I  send  you  a  photo- 
graph of  our  smallest,  who  is  such  a  pretty  child,  and 
very  good. 

The  peace  is  not  concluded  yet  ;  more  Prussians 
have  been  quartered  in  and  around  Darmstadt.  The 
people  are  very  angry  at  this  lasting  so  long  *  "*  * 
They  believe  it  is  Sirafeinqiiariicriuig  [done  to  pun- 
ish us].  Nothing  is  settled  as  to  what  we  keep  or 
lose,  and  we  know  and  hear  nothing.  Waiting  here, 
uncomfortably  lodged,  the  troops  impatient  to  go 
home,  as  they  have  nothing  to  do,  gets  very  irk- 
some. 

Gelbes  Haus,  September  8th. 

*  *  ^'  At  last  the  peace  is  concluded,  though 
not  yet  ratified.  The  terms  are  not  so  bad.  We 
lose  the  Hinterland  and  the  Domains  there,  as  also 
the  whole  of  Hesse- Homburg — in  all  sixty-four 
thousand  souls — pay  three  millions  contribution,  be- 
sides having  kept  a  large  part  of  the  Prussian  army 
six  weeks  for  nothing,  which  cost  the  country  twenty- 
five  thousand  florins  daily.  For  Oberhessen  we  go 
into  the  North-German  Bund,  and  half  the  army  is 
under  Prussian  command,  which  will  make  a  dread- 
ful confusion.  Louis  would  prefer  having  it  for  the 
whole,  particularly  in  anticipation,  alas  !  of  a  coming 
war. 


156  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

The  railroads,  posts,  and  telegraphs  also  become 
Prussian  ;  and  they  demand,  besides,  some  fine  old 
pictures,  books,  and  manuscripts,  which  had  once  be- 
longed to  the  Kolner  Dom,  and  were  made  a  present 
of  to  this  country  years  ago  ;  and  for  our  Domains 
no  Entschadigitng  [compensation].  In  exchange  for 
Homburg  we  get  some  small  places — amongst  others, 
Rumpenheim. 

When  the  peace  is  ratified  and  the  money  paid, 
the  Prussians  leave  the  country,  which  must  now  be 
very  shortly.  Until  then  Louis  must  stop  here,  and 
as  he  can  only  get  leave  now  and  then  to  go  to 
Darmstadt,  and  that  always  uncertain,  baby's  chris- 
tening is  still  Impossible,  as  Louis  must  be  there. 
She  will  be  called  "  Irene  Louise  Marie  Anna." 

Gelbes  Haus,  September  nth. 

*  *  *  Tired  of  constantly  putting  off  and 
waiting,  we  settled  yesterday  to  have  baby  christ- 
ened to-morrow,  as  it  is  Louis'  birthday,  and  to  go 
for  the  day  to  Darmstadt.  Though  the  Prussians 
are  still  there,  some  of  the  godfathers  are  coming 
over  ;  otherwise  it  will  be  quite  quiet. 

*  '•'  *  How  true  and  sad  is  what  you  say, 
dear  Mama,  about  life  and  its  trials !  Alas !  that  it 
should  be  you,  dear,  loving,  kind  Mama,  who  have 
had  to  drink  so  deeply  of  that  cup  of  bitterness. 
Those  who  possess  all  they  love,  as  I  do,  can,  how- 
ever, feel  all  the  more  keenly,  and  sympathize  more 
truly  with  you  for  what  you  have  lost,  though  it  is  a 
grief  we  do  not  know.  How  I  do  long  always  to 
alleviate  this  grief  for  you,  dearest  Mama  ;  but 
that  is  the  world's  trial.  None  can  bear  the  burden 
for  you.  One  must  carry  it  one's  self;  and  it  wants 
patience  and  courage  to  bear  such  as  yours,  dear 
Mama.     I  feel  for  you  now  more  than  ever  since 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  1 5/ 

during  that  month  I  feared  from  day  to  day  my 
happy  Hfe  might  be  brought  to  a  violent  close,  and 
anticipated  all  "the  misery  that  'might  come,  but 
which  the  Almighty  graciously  averted. 

Darmstadt,  September  i6th. 

*  ■X-  *  That  you  sent  Louis,  besides  the  pretty 
souvenir,  the  money  for  something  in  the  house  is 
really  so  kind.  Our  whole  dining-room  we  consider 
your  present,  and  it  is  furnished  as  like  an  English 
one  as  possible. 

The  name  Irene,*  through  other  associations,  is 
one  my  parents-in-law  and  we  like  ;  it  stands,  be- 
sideSj  as  a  sort  of  recollection  of  the  peace  so  longed 
for,  and  which  I  so  gladly  welcomed.  It  will  always 
reminds  us  of  the  time,  and  of  how  much  we  have 
to  be  grateful  for. 

Darmstadt,  September  24th. 

-:<-  %  *  -y^fg  g^j-g  settled  here  again  ;  our  troops 
have  returned  and  Uncle  Louis  likewise.  The  for- 
mer were  received  most  warmly  by  the  inhabitants 
and  showered  with  nosegays — Louis  also,  who  rode 
at  their  head.  We  saw  them  all  in  front  of  the 
Schloss,  and  it  was  sad  to  see  the  thinned  ranks  and 
to  miss  the  absent  faces  we  knew  so  well.  On  the 
13th  and  14th  of  July,  at  Frohnhofcn,  Laufach,  and 
Aschaffenburg,  out  of  8,000  we  lost  800  men  and  1 1 
officers,  and  of  the  officers  just  those  who  were  very 
intimate  with  the  Prussians,  and  who  wished  Ger- 
many to  be  united  under  Prussia. 

This  afternoon  we  are  going  to  see  after  the  poor 
wounded,  some  of  whom  are  still  very  ill  with  such 
horrible  wounds.     So  much  suffering  and  pain  and 

*  The  Princess  Charles  had  a  sister,  who  died  when  a  child,  who  had 
borne  that  name. 


158  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

grief  to  those  poor  people,  who  are  Innocent  in  this 
unhappy  war ! 

If  only  now  the  other  sovereigns  will  forget  their 
antipathies  and  the  wrongs  they  have  suffered  from 
Prussia,  and  think  of  the  real  welfare  of  their  people 
and  the  universal  fatherland,  and  make  those  sacri- 
fices which  will  be  necessary  to  prevent  the  recur- 
rence of  these  misfortunes  ! 

The  poor  Homburgers  marched  by  with  our 
troops,  and  their  tears  and  ours  fell  as  we  saw  them 
(who  had  fought  so  bravely  under  Uncle  Louis)  for 
the  last  time  before  they  become  Prussians,  and  re- 
turn to  their  homes  as  such. 

My  parents-in-law  are  gone  to  Switzerland. 
Henry  is  become  Colonel  of  the  2d  Guard  of 
Uhlans  at  Berlin. 

October  ist. 

*  *  *  I  can  but  write  a  few  lines,  as  we  are 
going  with  the  children  to  Uncle  Alexander  to  Jug- 
enheim  for  a  few  days.  The  change  of  air  is  wanted 
for  Ella,  who  is  still  pale  ;  and  Irene  has  never  had 
any  change  yet,  and  is  also  rather  pale. 

We  were  at  Frohnhofen  and  Laufach  a  few  days 
ago  to  see  where  the  unfortunate  engagement  was, 
and  visited  the  graves  of  our  soldiers.  In  the  middle 
of  a  field  there  is  a  mound,  below  which  some  eighty 
men  and  some  officers  lie,  and  so  on.  It  makes 
a  very  sad  impression,  for  as  our  troops  retreated, 
and  they  were  buried  by  the  people,  none  know 
which  of  the  common  soldiers  or  even  which  of  the 
officers  lie  in  the  different  places.  We  found  some 
balls,  and  thinofs  the  soldiers  had  thrown  off  durinor 
the  fight.  In  one  grave  in  the  churchyard,  the 
wounded  who  died  afterward  are  buried.  I  asked 
who  lay  there,  and  the  gravedigger  answered  ''  Ein 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 59 

Preuss '  und  ehi  Hess  liegen  dort  beisammen " 
["  A  Prussian  and  a  Hessian  lie  there  together  "], 
united  in  death, 'and  fallen  by  each  other's  hand,  per- 
haps. •  Some  of  the  officers  who  accompanied  us, 
and  had  not  been  there  since  the  engagement,  were 
much  overcome  on  seeing  the  graves  of  their  com- 
rades. I  put  wreaths  and  flowers  on  them,  and  or- 
dered crosses  where  we  knew  who  lay  there. 

The  wounded  here  are  recovering,  and  I  go  often 
to  see  after  them. 

As  you  say,  this  large  Prussia  is  by  no  means  an 
united  Germany  ;  but,  nevertheless,  I  think  the  duty 
of  the  other  German  sovereigns,  in  spite  of  all,  is  to 
unite  with  Prussia  and  place  themselves  under  her, 
so  as  to  make  her  unite  with  Germany.  Otherwise, 
the  next  opportunity,  they  will  be  annexed. 

Heiligenburg,  Jugenheim,  October  7th. 

*  *  *  We  return  to  town  to-day,  leaving  the 
children  for  another  week,  as  the  air  on  the  hill  is  so 
delicious.  Louis  has  so  much  to  do  that  he  can't 
remain  away  longer,  though  he  went  at  half-past 
seven  every  morning  to  his  office,  returning  for 
luncheon. 

Darmstadt,  October  22d. 
On  Thursday  we  are  going  to  Waldleiningen  for 
a  fortnight   and  take   Victoria  with    us.     The  two 
little  girls  knew  your  photograph  at  once,  and  began, 
of  course,  to  talk  of  you  and  of  England. 

Waldleiningen,  October  31st. 

*  *  *  It  is  quite  beautiful  here.  We  found 
dear  Ernest,  Marie  and  children  well ;  the  former  so 
kind  and  dear,  as  they  always  are.  Victoria  and 
Alberta  get  on  tolerably  together.  The  little  boy  is 
splendid,  so  strong  and  fat. 


l60  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

The  Castle  is  so  fine  and  lies  just  in  the  midst  of 
mountains  and  woods,  and  there  are  walks  without 
end — many  of  them  reminding  me  so  much  of  Scot- 
land. 

The  Nichels  came  to  see  us,  and  Marie  and  I 
played  with  Nichel  * ;  it  reminded  me  so  much  of 
the  good  old  times  to  see  him. 

Ella's  birthday  is  to  be  kept  when  we  return. 
She  is  too  small  to  know  the  difference  of  the  day. 
I  thank  you  beforehand  for  the  locket  for  her  with 
dear  Papa's  picture.  The  children  always  speak  of 
their  two  Grandpapas — dear  Grandpapa  in  Heaven, 
and  dear  Grandpapa  in  Darmstadt.  Victoria,  hear- 
ing Papa  so  often  mentioned,  and  seeing  his  pic- 
tures about  everywhere,  asks  no  end  of  questions 
about  him. 

Darmstadt,  November  14th. 

I  am  better,  thank  you,  but  I  am  so  weak  without 
the  least  reason,  and  dreadfully  chilly.  Still,  I  go 
out  regularly  in  all  weathers  and  take  exercise,  but 
of  an  evening  I  am  quite  knocked  up. 

We  always  breakfast  at  half  past  eight,  as  Louis 
gets  up  early  and  prefers  it ;  so  that  I  lead  a  very 
healthy  life,  and  in  spite  of  that  am  not  well.  A 
change  quite  into  another  climate,  for  a  few  months 
was  what  I  really  required ;  but  it  was  impossible. 
On  that  account,  dear  Mama,  I  shall  hope  to  have  a 
full  three  months  in  England  when  we  come,  and  per- 
haps part  of  the  time  with  Bertie,  if  he  can  have  us. 
I  went  through  a  great  deal  this  summer  during  my 
confinement.  The  excitement  and  the  will  to  keep 
well  kept  me  so  at  the  time,  but  I  feel  it  now,  alas! 
and  show  it,  too,  for  I  am  getting  so  thin  again. 

*  Formerly  one  of  the  Royal  Band  in  England.     Madame  Nichel  had 
been  a  dresser  of  the  Duchess  of  Kent's. 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  l6l 

Darmstadt,  November  21st. 

Dear  Vicky's  birthday.  She  will  think  how  happily 
she  passed  it  at  Windsor  last  year,  and,  though  she 
has  another  child,  it  cannot  replace  to  her  what  the 
other  one  was. 

How  glad  I  am  to  hear  you  praise  dear  Alix ! 
She  is  so  good,  tadvoll  [full  of  tact]  and  true.  I 
love  her  very  much. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  dear  Countess  Bliicher 
for  a  few  hours  here  last  Sunday.  She  came  during  a 
dreadful  snowstorm.  The  young  King  of  Bavaria  is 
coming  here  for  the  day  to-morrow.     *     *     * 

The  large  pictures  from  Homburg — George  III., 
Queen  Charlotte,  George  IV.,  William  IV.,  and  the 
Duke  of  York  en  pied — Uncle  Louis  has  given  us, 
and  now  that  I  have  given  these  good  people,  whom 
I  don't  like,  the  best  places  in  our  rooms,  I  should  so 
much  like  you  and  dear  Papa,  which  you  promised 
me  some  years  ago  from  the  last  Winterhalters,  or 
from  those  in  the  garter  dress. 

I  look  forward  so  much  to  seeing  dear  Bertie  here, 
if  only  for  a  few  hours.  I  suppose  Monday  or  Sun- 
day, if  he  travels  day  and  night,  as  he  leaves  on 
Friday  ;  it  is  a  very  long  and  cold  journey. 

November  22d. 

A  thousand  thanks  for  the  precious  book,"^^'  and  for 
your  dear  lines.  The  former  I  have  nearly  finished. 
I  got  it  yesterday  morning,  and  you  can  well  imagine 
that  every  spare  moment  was  devoted  to  its  study. 

I  think  it  very  well  done,  and  I  am  only  sorry 
that  General  Grey  cannot  continue  it,  as  the  other 
persons,  I  believe,  did  not  know  dear  Papa.  The 
longer  I  live,  the  more  I  see  and  know  of  the  world, 
the  deeper  my  tender  admiration  grows  for  such  a 

*  "The  Early  Years  of  the  Prince  Consort,"  l>y  tlic  late  General  Grey. 


l62  FEIJVCESS  ALICE. 

father.  It  makes  me  feel  myself  so  small,  so  imper- 
fect, when  I  think  that  I  am  his  child,  and  am  still  so 
unworthy  of  being  it.  How  many  people  here  who 
like  to  hear  of  dear  Papa,  ask  me  about  him,  and  you 
can  understand  with  what  pride  and  love  I  talk  of 
him,  and  tell  them  things  which  make  them  all  share 
our  sorrow  at  not  having  him  here  any  more  !  But 
if  ever  a  life  has  outlived  a  man,  dear  Papa's  has 
done  so.  In  my  thoughts  and  aims  he  ever  remains 
the  centre  and  the  guiding  star.  Dear  beloved  Papa, 
he  never  half  knew,  how  much,  even  when  a  foolish 
child.  I  loved  and  adored  him.  His  great  life  will  be 
a  model  for  many  and  many  for  generations  to  come, 
and  his  (jreat  thouQfhts  and  aims  can  leave  none  idle 
who  knew  them. 

You  kindly  ask  how  I  am.  Better,  thank  you, 
since  I  have  begun  some  bark — quinine  I  can't  take, 
or  else  I  should  have  been  well  sooner. 

Victoria  I  am  teaching  to  read — in  playing  with 
cards  with  different  letters  on  them. 

November  30th. 

To-day  it  is  six  whole  years  since  we  were  en- 
gaged to  each  other  in  the  Red  Drawing-room  at 
Windsor,  when  we  in  dear  Papa's  little  room  after- 
ward received  your  and  dear  Papa's  sanction  to  it. 
And  the  following  year — how  sad  that  already  was, 
for  darling  Papa  was  beginning  to  be  unwell.  How 
constantly  do  I  think  of  you,  beloved  Mama,  during 
that  fortnight  of  anxiety  and  sorrow  !  God  merci- 
fully spare  you  to  us,  though  for  yourself  it  was  the 
commencement  of  the  sad  and  lonely  existence  you 
lead  without  dear  Papa. 

I  am  sure  it  is  good  for  little  Henry  *  to  be  this 

*  Son  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess  of  Prussia. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  ]VORK.  1 63 

winter  with  you  in  England  :  the  Berlin  chmate  is 
very  unwholesome.  Health  is  such  a  blessing.  If 
one  has  children,  the  first  wish  is  they  should  be 
healthy,  for  ill  health  influences  all,  and  nothing 
more  than  temper. 

We  intend,  if  possible,  going  for  a  day  or  two  to 
Carlsruhe.  Poor  Louise  and  Fritz  went  through  so 
much  that  is  painful  this  summer.     *     *     * 

I  read  an  immense  deal  now  of  serious,  and  what 
some  call  dry,  books  ;  but  it  is  a  great  resource  to 
me,  and  the  thought  of  standing  still,  if  one  does  not 
study,  urges  me  on.  The  long  winter  evenings  we 
always  spend  together,  and  twice  in  the  week  re- 
ceive in  the  evening,  when  I  play  on  the  piano  duets 
with  such  as  play  on  the  violin,  and  pass  the  even- 
ings very  pleasantly. 

Carlsruhe,  December  6th. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter !  I  congrat- 
ulate you  on  all  having  gone  off  so  well  at  Wolver- 
hampton,* and  am  very  grateful  for  the  account. 
Dear  Bertie's  visit  is  over,  and  it  has  been  a  very 
great  pleasure  to  us  to  have  seen  him  again,  and  to 
have  him  under  our  own  roof — where  we  at  length 
had  an  opportunity,  in  a  small  way,  to  return  his 
hospitality  and  constant  kindness  to  us.  God  bless 
him,  dear  brother!  he  is  the  one  who  has  from  my 
childhood  been  so  dear  to  me. 

We  have  come  here,  and  I  think  it  has  pleased 
good  Fritz.  Louis  seems  very  well.  I  saw  Lady 
Fanny  Baillie  yesterday,  looking  dear  and  pretty  as 
ever.     It  is  a  pleasure  to  look  at  her  sweet  face. 

Carlsruhe,  December  nth. 
As  every  year  during  these  days  my  thoughts  are 

*  The  uncovering  of  the  monument  to  the  Prince  Consort. 


164  PRINCESS  A  LICK. 

with  you,  and  as  each  year  brings  round  again  the 
anniversary  of  that  dreadful  misfortune,  it  seems 
more  and  more  impossible  that  five  years  should  al- 
ready have  elapsed,  since  he  w^hom  we  all  loved  so 
tenderly  was  taken  from  our  sight.  How  I  thank 
the  Almighty  again  and  again,  as  this  season  returns, 
that  He  spared  you  to  us,  when  at  such  a  moment, 
we  trembled  for  your  precious  life,  fearing  that  two 
so  united  in  life  even  in  death  could  not  be  parted. 
What  should  we  poor  children,  what  would  the 
country  have  done,  had  that  second  misfortune  come 
over  us  !  Yet  it  seemed  selfish  and  unkind  to  wish 
for  your  loving  wife's  heart  the  solitary  widow's  ex- 
istence.   How  bravely  and  nobly  you  have  borne  it ! 

We  leave  this  to-morrow  morning,  and  have 
spent  pleasant  days  here.  There  was  much  to  talk 
about  together,  and  Fritz  is  so  excellent  and  so  wise, 
that  I  am  always  glad  to  hear  him.  Dear  Louise  is 
well  and  in  good  looks,  and  most  kind. 

Now  I  must  end  beloved  Mama.  God  bless  you 
and  comfort  you,  and  in  these  days  let  sometimes 
the  thought  of  your  absent  child,  who  was  at  your 
side  during  that  dreadful  time,  mingle  with  the  recol- 
lection of  the  past ! 

Darmstadt,  December  14th. 

Beloved,  precious  Mama  : — On  awaking  this 
morning,  my  first  thoughts  were  of  you  and  of  dear, 
darling  Papa !  Oh,  how  it  reopens  the  wounds 
scarcely  healed,  when  this  day  of  pain  and  anguish 
returns !  This  season  of  the  year  the  leafless 
trees,  the  cold  light,  every  thing  reminds  me  of  that 
time  ! 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter  received 
yesterday.  Well,  only  too  well,  do  I  remember  every 
hour,  almost  every  minute,  of  those  days,  and  I  have 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 65 

such  an  inexpressible  longing  to  throw  my  arms 
round  your  neck,  and  to  let  my  tears  flow  with 
yours,  while  kneeling  at  that  beautiful  grave. 

The  tender  love  and  the  deep  sorrow  caused  by  His 
loss  remain  ever  with  me,  and  will  accompany  me 
through  life.  At  the  age  I  then  was,  with  its  sensi- 
tive feelings,  it  made  an  impression  which,  I  think, 
nothing  can  efface — above  all,  the  witnessing  your 
grief.  Happily  married  as  I  am,  and  with  such  a 
good,  excellent,  and  loving  husband,  how  far  more 
can  I  understand  7iozu  the  depth  of  that  grief  which 
tore  your  lives  asunder  !  I  played  our  dear  Papa's 
organ  under  his  beloved  picture  this  morning,  and 
my  heart  and  my  thoughts  were  in  dear  England 
with  you  all. 

We  found  our  children  well  on  our  return,  and 
Irene  prospers  perfectly  on  her  donkey's  milk. 

My  mother-in-law  is  so  much  pleased  with  the 
book,*  and  it  has  interested  her  very  much.  She 
came  to  see  me  early  this  morning  on  account  of  its 
being  the  14th.  She  is  always  so  kind  and  full  of 
attentions. 

Darmstadt,  December  17th. 
How  dear  of  you  to  have  written  to  me  on  the 
14th  ;  thousand  thanks  for  your  letter  !  How  much 
I  thought  o^  all  on  that  day  you  can  imagine  ;  also 
what  good  it  did  me  to  know  that  you  still  thought 
of  me  so  kindly  with  those  recollections.  I  am  so 
sorry  to  hear  that  you  are  so  suffering.  I  hope  Os- 
borne will  do  you  good,  and  that  rest  and  quiet  will 
refresh  you. 

Darmstadt,  December  21st. 
*     *      "      I  hope  by  this  time  that  you  are  quite 
recovered,   though  this    mild  damp   weather  is  not 

♦General  Grey's  "  Early  Years  of  the  Prince  Consort." 


1 66  FRIXCESS  ALICE. 

made  to  give  one  strength.  I  feel  it  so  much  also, 
and  am  really  only  kept  alive  by  steel,  for  off  and  on 
I  am  so  weak  that  I  nearly  faint  if  I  have  to  stand 
any  tim.e,  and  this  is  so  unpleasant. 

*  ■''■  *  I  am  trying  to  found  what  is  no  small 
undertaking  :  a  *'  Fraiien-  Verein','  to  be  spread  all 
over  the  land  in  different  committees,  the  central 
one  being  here  under  my  direction,  for  the  purpose 
of  assisting  the  International  Convention  for  nursing 
and  supporting  the  troops  in  time  of  war,  which  was 
founded  at  Geneva,  and  to  which  this  country  also 
belongs.  The  duty  in  time  of  peace  will  be  to  have 
nurses  brought  up  and  educated  for  the  task,  who 
can  then  assist  in  other  hospitals  or  amongst  the 
poor,  or  to  nurse  the  rich,  wherever  they  may  be 
required  in  time  of  war.  This  committee  of  women 
has  to  collect  all  the  necessary  things  for  the  wounded 
and  for  the  marching  troops,  has  to  see  to  their 
being  sent  to  right  places,  etc. 

All  these  things  were  done  by  private  people  in 
this  war,  and,  though  quantities  of  things  were  sent, 
the  whole  plan  was  not  organized,  so  that  there  was 
want  and  surplus  at  the  same  time. 

In  time  of  peace  these  things  should  be  organized, 
so  that,  when  war  comes,  people  know  where  to 
send  their  things  to,  and  that  no  volunteer  nurses  gfo 
out  who  have  not  first  learnt  their  business. 

The  same  thing  exists  in  Baden,  in  Bavaria,  and  in 
Prussia,  and  here  it  is  much  wanted.  But  all  these 
undertakings  are  difficult,  particularly  in  the  choice 
of  persons  to  assist  one.  Still  I  hope  I  shall  be  able 
to  do  it.  My  mother-in-law  helps  me,  and  I  hope 
before  long  to  be  able  to  begin. 

The  Elector  is  coming  here  on  a  visit  to-day,  and 
Uncle  Alexander  returned  from  Petersburg  last 
night. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 6/ 

Darmstadt,  December  25th. 

*  *  *  I  have  a  dreadful  cold,  and  am  not 
very  well  beside^,  so  I  can  but  scribble  a  few  lines. 
To-day  we  go  to  the  Bescheeriing  [distribution  of 
Christmas  gifts]  to  the  wounded  in  three  hospitals. 
Of  course  it  will  be  very  hot. 

Henry  is  here  for  a  few  days.  He  looks  so  hand- 
some in  his  new  uniform  with  his  dark  beard.  He 
has  grown  so  good-looking  these  last  few  years,  and 
he  is  so  excellent.  I  am  very  fond  of  him.  He  is 
likewise  so  much  gayer  than  formerly. 

The  good  eatables  you  sent  will  be  given  to-night, 
when  Louis'  parents  and  brothers  come  to  us  for 
dinner. 

The  children  have  a  party  for  their  tree. 

Darmstadt,  December  30th. 

*  *  *  May  the  Almighty  give  you  every 
blessing  of  peace  and  comfort  which  the  world  can 
still  give  you,  till  you  gain  that  greater  blessing  and 
reward  above  all  others,  which  is  reserved  for  such 
as  my  own  sweet  mother  !  May  every  blessing  fall 
on  my  old  dear  home,  v^ith  all  its  dear  ones  !  May 
peace,  and  the  glory  which  peace  and  order  bring 
v/ith  it,  with  its  many  blessings,  protect  my  native 
land  ;  and  may,  in  the  new  year,  your  wise  and  glo- 
rious reign,  so  overshadowed  by  dear  Papa's  spirit, 
continue  to  prosper  and  be  a  model  and  an  ornament 
to  the  world  ! 

This  year  of  pain  and  anxiety,  and  yet  for  us 
so  rich  in  blessings,  draws  to  a  close.  It  moves  me 
more  than  ever  as  its  last  day  approaches.  For  how 
much  have  we  not  to  thank  the  Almighty — for  my 
life,  which  is  so  unworthy  compared  to  many  others, 
the  new  life  of  this  little  one,  and  above  all  the  pres- 
ervation of  my  own  dear  husband,  who  is  my  all  in 
this  life. 


1 68  FHINCESS  ALICE. 

The  trials  of  this  year  must  have  brought  some 
good  with  all  the  evil  :  good  to  the  individual 
and  good  to  the  multitude.  God  grant  that  we  may 
all  profit  by  what  we  have  learnt,  and  gain  more  and 
more  that  trust  in  God's  justice  and  love,  which 
is  our  guide  and  support  in  trouble  and  in  joy!  Oh, 
more  than  ever  have  I  felt  in  this  year,  that  God's 
goodness  and  love  are  indeed  beyond  compre- 
hension ! 

*  *  *  I  am  really  glad  to  hear  that  you 
can  listen  to  a  little  music.  Music  is  such  a  heavenly 
thing,  and  dear  Papa  loved  it  so  much,  that  I  can't 
but  think  that  now  it  must  be  soothine,  and  brino- 
you  near  to  him.     '"^     *     * 


1867. 

The  experiences  of  the  late  war  had  shown  the 
necessity  for  an  efficient  and  widespread  organiza- 
tion for  aid  to  the  sick  and  wounded  on  the  battle- 
field. Already  in  i865  a  society  had  been  formed 
in  Hesse,  with  Prince  and  Princess  Charles  as  its 
patrons,  in  accordance  with  the  resolutions  passed  at 
the  Geneva  Convention  in  1863,  and  had  done  good 
work  in  the  last  war.     The  nursino-  of  the  wounded 

o 

had  hitherto  been   undertaken   by   "  Deaconesses," 
Sisters  of  Mercy,  and  orders  of  a  kindred  nature. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  those  at  the  head  of 
the  committee  (or  Society)  made  themselves  respon- 
sible, so  far  as  lay  in  their  power,  for  the  wounded 
and  disabled,  and  for  the  families  of  those  who  had 
fallen  in  the  war.     It  was,  however,  felt  to  be  very 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 69 

desirable  that  other  committees  should  be  formed 
throughout  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  training 
specially-quaHfied  nurses. 

The  Princess  was  deeply  interested  in  this  ques- 
tion— indeed,  her  whole  attention  had  been  directed 
to  it  since  the  beginning  of  the  war,  after  she  had 
seen  what  was  done  in  Baden  under  the  direction  of 
the  Grand  Duchess.  She  had  also  before  her  the 
example  of  Florence  Nightingale,  and  the  good  she 
had  done  during  and  after  the  Crimean  war.  The 
Princess  was  naturally  fond  of  nursing,  and  of  all 
that  had  to  do  with  it,  and  she  therefore  eagerly 
took  up  the  idea  of  founding  a  Frauen-Verein,  or 
"Ladies'  Union"  —  an  idea  which,  under  her  au- 
spices, was  soon  most  successfully  carried  out. 

She  wished  lay  women  and  ladies  of  all  classes  to 
join  in  this  undertaking,  so  that  the  nursing  should 
not  be  confined,  as  heretofore,  to  religious  orders 
only.  After  much  consultation  a  committee  was 
formed  in  1867,  consisting  of  six  ladies  and  four 
doctors,  with  the  Princess  as  President.  The  central 
committee  of  the  "  Ladies'  Union  "  was  to  be  at 
Darmstadt,  under  the  Princess'  direction.  The 
other  committees  spread  over  the  whole  country. 
Its  object  was  to  assist  "  the  nursing  and  supporting 
of  the  troops  in  times  of  war,"  and  in  times  of  peace 
to  "  train  nurses,  to  assist  other  hospitals,  or  amongst 
the  poor,  or  to  nurse  the  rich  " — in  fact,  to  help 
wherever  help  was  required.  In  1S68  the  members 
belonging  to  the  "  Ladies'  Union  "   had  greatly  in- 


170  PJ^INCESS  ALICE, 

creased,  and  in   1869  they  reached  the  number  of 
2,5oo. 

The  duties  of  the  local  committees  consisted  in 
collecting  money  and  all  necessary  materials  for  the 
wounded  or  for  the  troops  on  the  march.  The  cen- 
tral committee  did  its  best  in  times  of  peace  to  direct 
the  general  attention  to  this  most  important  question 
by  lectures  on  the  subject,  delivered  by  medical  men. 

At  the  time  the  Princess  started  this  undertaking 
she  was  also  much  occupied  with  another  all-engross- 
ing subject — viz.:  the  improvement  of  the  condition 
of  poor  unmarried  women  and  girls,  as  well  as  the 
education  of  sfirls  in  oreneral.  The  Princess  found  an 
able  assistant  in  Fraulein  Louise  Buchner — a  most 
distinguished  authoress,  and  the  champion  of 
women's  rights,  more  particularly  of  the  higher  edu- 
cation of  women. 

With  her  help  the  Princess  formed  another  com- 
mittee for  the  encouragement  of"  Female  Industry." 
A  permanent  Bazaar  was  established  on  the  2  5th  of 
November,  1867,  called  after  the  Princess,  "The 
Alice  Bazaar,"  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  and  dis- 
posing of  articles  of  needlework  at  their  proper  value, 
and  also  for  obtaining  employment  for  women  of  all 
classes.  The  "  Bazaar  "  soon  became  a  flourishing 
institution. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1867  the  Prince  and 
Princess  went  to  Gotha,  where  they  met  the  Crown 
Prince  and  Princess  of  Prussia  for  the  first  time  since 
the  war.     They  then  went  for  a  few  weeks  to  Berlin. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  171 

After  the  threatening  rumors  of  war  caused  by  the 
Luxembourg  question  had  been  dispersed,  the  Em- 
peror Napoleon  invited  all  the  Sovereigns  and 
Princes'  of  Europe  to  visit  the  great  International 
Exhibition  at  Paris.  Prince  and  Princess  Louis, 
amongst  others,  accepted  the  invitation,  and  were  at 
Paris  at  the  same  time  as  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  the 
King  of  Prussia,  and  the  Crown  Prince  and  Princess 
of  Prussia.  The  Prince  and  Princess  visited  many 
other  places  of  interest  and  note  at  Paris  besides  the 
great  Exhibition.  All  institutions  for  art  had  a  great 
attraction  for  her,  and  she  took  up  the  idea  most 
warmly  of  founding  Schools  of  Design  in  her  own 
country,  as  she  hoped  they  would  exercise  a  good 
influence  there. 

During  the  Prince  and  Princess'  visit  the  great 
review  of  the  Imperial  troops  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne 
took  place  ;  and  on  that  day,  too,  the  happily  unsuc- 
cessful attempt  on  the  Emperor  of  Russia's  life  was 
made. 

After  attending  all  the  festivities  at  the  Imperial 
Court,  where  the  Prince  and  Princess  received  every 
possible  attention  and  kindness  from  the  Emperor 
and  Empress,  they  left  Paris  on  the  lOth  of  June, 
and,  having  met  their  children  at  Calais,  crossed 
over  to  England.  During  this  stay  in  England  the 
Princess  visited  the  German  and  many  other  Hos- 
pitals, and  she  also  assisted  in  doing  the  honors  for 
the  Queen  at  several  Court  festivities.  She  was 
present  at  Windsor  and  Osborne  during  the  visits  of 


172  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

the  Sultan,  who  had  been  so  cordially  received  in 
England,  and  in  whose  honor  a  great  naval  review 
at  Spithead  was  held. 

Prince  and  Princess  Louis  returned  to  Darmstadt 
in  the  first  days  of  August ;  and,  having  established 
their  children  there,  they  left  for  St.  Moritz  in  the 
Engadine,  where  they  intended  to  spend  a  month, 
and  where  the  Princess  was  to  take  the  baths. 

Whilst  there  they  made  several  excursions,  travel- 
ling about  quite  simply,  like  any  other  tourists. 

On  their  return  to  Germany,  the  Prince  and 
Princess  spent  a  few  days  with  the  Grand  Duke  and 
Grand  Duchess  of  Baden  on  the  island  of  Mainau  on 
the  Lake  of  Constance.  During  the  autumn  the 
Princess  met  several  of  her  own  brothers  and  sisters. 
She  also  went  to  Cassel  to  meet  the  Crown  Prince 
and  Princess  of  Prussia,  who  were  returning  from  a 
visit  to  England. 

GoTHA,  January  15th, 
*  *  *  It  is  a  great  happiness  to  be  with  dear 
Vicky  and  Fritz,  and  the  future — that  which  is  to  be 
feared,  that  which  must  inevitably  come — is  of  course 
our  constant  talk.  Whatever  comes,  our  position, 
and  that  of  other  small  sovereigns,  must  undergo  a 
change,  which  for  the  older  ones  will  be  very  hard, 
and  which  they  will  ever  feel.  Even  dear  Louis, 
who  is  so  sensible  and  reasonable,  says  he  has  been 
brought  up  with  particular  rights,  which  for  centuries 
have  been  ours,  and  he  feels  sore  that  he  is  never  to 
inherit  them. 

Dear  aunt  seems  very  well,   and  is  ever  like   a 
second  mother  to  us,  so  loving  and  kind;  also  dear 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 73 

uncle.  Papa's  and  your  children  are  dear  to  him 
almost  as  though  they  were  his  own  ;  and  he  lives  to 
see  us  with  our  families  and  in  our  homes,  whereas 
darling-  Papa  does  not.  Yesterday  the  Brmit  von 
Messina  was  given — that  beautiful  piece  which  Papa 
was  so  fond  of.     I  thought  so  much  of  you. 

On  Thursday  Vicky  anrl  T7,-;i-"  —  •     ^  g 

y 


C^cy^-c^'--^'^  ^^ 


u^^^-^^-^  { .M) 


'/L.'X,.*^ 


^AJ^' 


,,,^t^...^.VV  j      I 


...  .  ...icxii^  x^duciiert  jj  here  two  days  ago,  look- 
ing so  well,  and  charming  as  ever. 

Little  Vicky  is  such  a  darling,  very  like  her  poor 

*  Princess  Feodorc  Victoria  Adelaide  Paulina  Amelia  Maria,  daughter  of 
Queen  Victoria's  sister,  the  Princess  IIohenlohc-Langenbur^,  and  wife  of 
the  Hereditary  Prince,  now  the  Duke  of  Saxe-Meiningen.  She  died  at  the 
age  of  thirty-three,  on  the  loth  of  P'ebruary,  1872. 

f  Major  Elphinstone,  Prince  Arthur's  Governor  from  1859,  now  Sir 
Howard  Elphinstone,  K.C.B. 

X  I'rinccss  Amalie  of  Hohenlohe-Schillingsflirst,  niece  of  Queen  Vic- 
toria's late  brother-in-law,  Prince  of  Hohenlohe-Langenburg,  married  to  an 
artist,  Herr  Lauchert. 


174  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

little  brother — so  merry,  so  good,  one  never  hears 
her  cry — and  it  is  really  a  comfort  to  Vicky  to  have 
that  dear  little  thing.  Poor  Vicky  is  very  sad  and 
low  at  times. 

After  intense  cold  it  is  quite  warm,  like  spring, 
which  is  very  unwholesome  and  tiring. 

Darmstadt,  February  i6th, 

*  *  *  I  think  I  can  understand  what  you  must 
feel.  I  know  well  what  those  first  three  years  were 
— what  fearful  suffering,  tearing  and  uprooting  those 
feelings  which  had  been  centred  in  beloved  Papa's 
existence!  It  is  indeed,  as  you  say  "in  mercy," 
that  after  the  long  storm  a  lull  and  calm  ensues, 
though  the  violent  pain,  which  is  but  the  reverse 
side  of  the  violent  love,  seems  only  to  die  out  with 
it,  and  that  is  likewise  bitter.  Yet,  beloved  Mama, 
could  it  be  otherwise  ?  There  would  be  no  justice 
or  mercy,  were  the  first  stage  of  sorrow  to  J)e  the 
perpetual  one  ;  and  God  grant,  that  time  may  still 
soothe  and  alleviate  that  which  it  cannot  change  !  I 
can  only  imagine  what  the  loss  must  be,  if  I  measure 
it  by  the  possession  of  that  one  adored  being,  who  is 
the  centre  and  essence  of  my  existence. 

Darmstadt,  February  28th. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  we  had  a  very  interesting 
lecture  in  our  house  about  Art  in  Venice,  by  a 
young  Swede  [Herr  von  Molin],  who  has  been 
studying  three  years  in  Italy.  We  had  the  room 
full  of  people,  artists,  and  professors,  who  liked  to 
listen. 

•X-  -sc-  *  ^]}  ^j^g  natural  cleverness  and  sharp- 
ness in  the  world  won't  serve  nowadays,  unless  one 
has  learnt  something.  I  feel  this  so  much  ;  and 
just  in  our  position  it  is  more  and  more  required 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  I'J^ 

and  expected,  particularly  in  a  small  place,  where  so 
much  depends  on  the  personal  knowledge  and  ex- 
ertions of  the  Prmces.    , 

Darmstadt,  March  8th. 

*  *  *  The  knowledge  of  dear  sweet  Alix's 
state  makes  me  too  sad.  It  is  hard  for  them  both, 
and  the  nursing  must  be  very  fatiguing  for  Mrs. 
Clarke.  \  am  so  distressed  about  darling  Alix  that 
I  really  have  no  peace.  It  may,  and  probably  will, 
last  lonor,  which  is  so  dreadful.* 

March  28th. 

*  ^  *  *  We  mean  to  have  some  children  on  the 
5th,  so  that  Victoria  can  have  a  party. 

My  father-in-law  is  better  again,  I  am  happy  to 
say.     The  warm  weather  did  him  good  at  once. 

Darmstadt,  April  ist. 

*  *  ''^  I  could  not  write  the  other  day,  as  I 
had  a  <jood  deal  to  do  with  two  committees  for 
charities,  which  had  to  be  got  into  order,  and  which 
took  up  a  great  deal  of  my  time. 

Cold,  hail,  snow,  and  rain,  have  returned  ;  and 
Irene  has  got  a  cold,  which  most  people  here  have. 
The  weather  is  so  unpleasant. 

We  shall  stop  here  in  town  until  we  go  to  Eng- 
land, as  we  have  nowhere  to  go  to  before.  It  is  a 
pity  for  the  children  to  have  no  country  air,  and 
they  miss  the  flowers  in  their  walks.  I  can't  praise 
Orchard  \  enough.  Such  order  she  keeps,  and  is  so 
industrious  and  tidy,  besides  understanding  so  much 
about  the  manaofement  of  the  children's  health  and 
characters. 

*  The  Princess  of  Wales  was  suffering  at  the  time  from  rheumatic  fever 
and  rheumatism. 

f  Their  nurse,  who  is  still  (1884)  with  the  youngest  child,  Princess  Alix. 


1/6  PR  IN  CESS  ALICE. 

Darmstadt,  April  5th. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter,  and  for  the 
kind  wishes  for  Victoria's  birthday  !  I  pray  she  may 
be  a  worthy  granddaughter  and  goddaughter  of  my 
darhng  Mamma  !  I  shall  never  forget  that  day — 
your  kindness  to  us,  and  the  tender  nurse  you 
were.     *     *     * 

Victoria  means  to  dictate  a  letter  to  you  ;  she  is 
so  much  pleased  with  her  presents.  Irene  has  not  a 
tooth  yet,  and  is  not  very  fat,  poor  little  thing !  but 
she  is  fresh  and  rosy,  and,  I  think,  strong. 

This  last  week  the  excitement  here  has  been 
dreadful,  as  all  anticipated  a  war  with  France  on 
account  of  Luxembourg.  I  fear  sooner  or  later  it  will 
come.     May  the  Almighty  avert  such  a  calamity ! 

The  Moriers  were  quite  in  ecstasies  about  your 
handsome  present.  The  christening"^  went  off 
very  well. 

April  8th. 

*  *  *  We  have  just  returned  from  church, 
and  to-morrow  morning  we  all  take  the  Sacrament 
at  nine  o'clock  in  the  Schlosskirche.  Professor 
Jowett  is  here  on  a  visit  to  the  Moriers,  and  is  going 
to  read  the  service  on  Sunday.  I  have  not  had  an 
opportunity  to  attend  our  English  service  since  we 
were  at  Windsor,  excepting  one  Sunday  at  Berlin 
with  Vicky  and  Fritz. 

People  think  now,  the  evil  of  war  is  put  off  for  a 
few  weeks,  but  that  is  all.  Henry  is  here  for  Easter, 
and  says  the  same  from  all  he  heard  at  Berlin. 

April  2 1  St. 

*  *  *  How  I  wish  you  may  be  right  in  not 
believing  in  war.     I   always  fear   it  is  not  Luxem- 

*  Of  their  child,  to  whom  Queen  Victoria  stood  sponsor. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 77 

boiirg,  but  the  intense  jealousy  of  the  French  nation, 
that  they  should  ^ot  be  the  first  on  the  Continent, 
and  that  Germany  is  becoming-  independent  and 
powerful  against  their  will.  Then,  again,  the  Ger- 
mans feel  their  new  position,  and  assert  their  rights 
with  more  force  because  unanin^ious,  and  neither  na- 
tion will  choose  to  give  in  to  the  other. 

The  war  would  be  totally  useless,  and  sow  no  end 
of  dissension  and  hatred  between  the  two  neighbor 
countries,  who,  for  their  own  good  as  for  that  of  man- 
kind, ought  to  live  in  peace  and  harmony  with  each 
other. 

We  seem  drifting  back  to  the  Middle  Ages,  as 
each  question  is  pushed  to  the  point  of  the  sword. 
It  is  most  sad.  How  dear  Papa  would  have  disap- 
proved of  much  that  has  happened  since  1862  ! 

Is  the  Catalogue  which  Mr.  Ruland  sent  some 
time  ago  to  Mr.  Woodward  for  dear  Papa's  Raphael 
Collection  in  print  now  ?  *  So  many  people  know 
of  its  coming  out,  and  are  anxious  to  see  it,  as,  in- 
deed, I  am  likewise,  for  it  is  the  only  complete  col- 
lection in  the  world,  and  the  world  of  art  is  anxious 
to  know  all  about  it.  Will  you,  perhaps,  let  me 
know  through  Mr.  Sahl,f  as  I  believe  it  is  already  a 
good  while  since  you  approved  of  its  being  pub- 
lished, and  gave  the  orders  for  its  being  printed  ? 

May  2d. 

As  yet  none  dare  to  be  sure  of  the  peace,  but  all 
live  again  since  there  are  more  chances  for  its  being 
maintained.  But,  then,  I  trust  it  will  be  a  perma- 
nent peace,  not  merely  a  putting  off  till  next  year! 

The  French  press  was  so  very  warlike,  and  it  al- 
ways talks  of  the   French  honor  not  being  able  to 

*  This  Catalogue  was  not  completed  and  made  public  till  1876. 
f  Her  Majesty's  private  librarian. 


1/8  PJil ACCESS  ALICE. 

allow  such  a  mighty  empire  as  the  German  is  be- 
coming to  gain  the  upper  hand ;  and  then  rectifica- 
tion of  her  frontiers,  always  wishing  for  the  Rhine. 

Poor  little  Anna  of  Mecklenburg  is  here  ;  it 
seemed  so  sad  to  see  the  dear  little  child  come  alone 
to  inhabit  the  rooms  its  Mama  had  never  returned 
to.  She  looks  delicate,  very  fair,  but  with  dark, 
thick  eyebrows  and  eyelashes  ;  rather  shy  and  silent 
for  she  has  no  little  children  to  play  with  in  her 
home.  My  two  led  her  about  at  once,  and  tried  to 
amuse  her.  Ella,  who  is  five  months  older,  is  a 
head  taller  and  twice  as  broad.  I  am  so  afraid  they 
will  be  top  rough  with  her,  for  dear,  fat  Ella  is  very 
strong,  and  by  no  means  gentle. 

Annchen  has  an  old  nervous  nurse,  who  is  too 
frightened  about  her.  It  is  a  great  responsibility, 
where  there  is  no  mother.     It  looks  so  sad ! 

May  13th. 
I  must  tell  you  something  in  confidence  of  what 
has  taken  place  here  with  regard  to  Louis.  *  *  * 
Since  Louis  took  the  command  last  Ausrust,  and 
since  the  Convention  with  Prussia  has  been  settled, 
Louis  has  been  opposed  by  Uncle  Louis  and  the 
Kriegsministcrhtm  [War  Department],  in  doing  all 
the  things  which  he  thought  absolutely  necessary, 
and  which  toward  Prussia  the  Grand  Duke  had 
promised  to  do,  so  as  to  get  the  troops  into  the 
necessary  order  and  organization.  Here  the  Gov- 
ernment is,  Louis  has  reason  to  fear,  once  more  play- 
ing a  false  game  toward  Prussia,  and  all  his  true 
friends  and  a  small  party  of  the  clever-thinking 
people  have  encouraged  him  in  the  idea  that  to 
serve  his  country,  he  may  and  imtst  not  be  impli- 
cated in  the  present  sad  and  desperate  state  of 
affairs. 


A  7'  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 79 

It  has  cost  him  a  great  struggle  to  make  up  his 
mind  to  ask  Uncle  Louis  to  accept  his  resignation, 
which  he  has  been  obliged  to  demand,  as  he  felt  that 
under  present  circumstances  he  could  not  fulfil  what 
was  desired  of  him. 

Uncle  Louis  may  refuse  to  let  him  go ;  then  he 
intends  to  ask  for  leave  until  the  ist  of  October,  the 
date  when  the  Convention  must  be  carried  out,  when 
he  hopes  and  trusts  the  King  will  send  a  Prussian 
general  to  put  all  in  order. 

Uncle  Louis  and  his  Umgebung  [the  people  about 
him]  will  all  be  against  my  Louis,  as  they  think  it  a 
shame  and  injustice  to  give  up  any  of  their  rights, 
and  that  it  is  unpardonable  of  Louis  to  act  up  to 
what  he  has  always  said.  He  is  so  good  a  nephew, 
that  all  this  will  be  dreadfully  painful  to  him ;  but  he 
is  quite  convinced  that  his  duty  to  his  country  and 
his  future  demands  this  step  of  him.  He  is  obliged 
to  go  away  from  here,  as  he  does  not  think  it  right 
for  him  to  be  always  in  opposition  to  Uncle 
Louis,  and  as  he  cannot  gain  by  it  what  the  country 
and  the  troops  require.  On  account  of  all  these 
reasons  he  considers  it  right  to  leave. 

He  wished  me  to  write  all  this  to  you,  as  he  knows 
you  will  understand  and  not  disapprove  the  confi- 
dence he  bestows  on  one,  on  whose  opinion  he  quite 
relies.  He  looks  forward  so  much  to  cominof  to 
England,  as  he  is  worried  and  harassed  by  all  that 
has  happened.  In  all  this  he  has  again  shown,  as  of 
old,  that  he  always  places  himself  ^.wA  his  wishes  and 
feelings  in  the  background,  and  that  to  serve  others 
and  to  do  his  duty  are  the  sole  aims  of  his  existence. 
He  will,  as  soon  as  he  has  received  an  answer  from 
the  Grand  Duke,  telegraph  to  you  to  settle  our 
plans.  The  children  are  overjoyed  at  the  prospect 
of  seeincr  their  dear  Grandmama  ag^ain. 


l8o  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

I  am  not  up  to  very  much,  I  don't  always  feel 
quite  strong  ;  but  the  change  will  do  my  good,  I  am 
sure. 

May  1 6th, 

The  Grand  Duke  has  not  as  yet  consented  to 
Louis'  resignation.  Louis  has  made  conditions, 
under  which  it  will  be  possible  for  him  to  remain,  if 
Uncle  L.  consents.  The  first  condition  is  to  have  a 
Prussian  officer  at  his  side.  The  Grand  Duke  de- 
clared he  would  sooner  lose  his  country  than  give 
his  consent  to  that.  Louis  has  now  officially  written 
his  letter  of  requirements,  and  sent  it.  But,  what- 
ever happens,  he  will  be  able  to  get  a  short  leave, 
he  thinks,  by  the  beginning  of  June. 

May  19th, 
The  military  affair  is  at  length  settled.  Uncle 
Louis  has  given  in  to  the  points  Louis  demanded, 
and  he  retains  his  command.  All  are  astonished  at 
Louis'  unlooked-for  success  in  this  aftair,  and  as 
Uncle  L.  would  not  have  a  Prussian  General,  and 
had  no  one  here  to  take  in  Louis'  stead,  who  could 
do  the  things  well,  he  had  to  agree  and  to  allow 
what  Louis  was  justified  in  asking.  Louis'  firmness 
and  decision  have  done  great  good,  and  all  are 
thankful  to  him  for  it,  though  others,  who  ought  to 
do  as  he  has  done,  have  never  shown  the  courage. 

Louis  is  laid  up  with  the  most  awful  nettle-rash 
all  over  face  and  body,  and  is  so  unwell  with  it.  He 
has  had  it  now  three  days.  Altogether  since  the 
winter,  or  rather  since  the  war,  he  has  had  so  much 
cause  for  vexation,  that  he  has  been  constantly 
unwell  ;  and  each  time  he  is  much  worried  he  has 
an  attack  of  illness. 

May  29th. 

*     *     *     I  presided  at  my  committee  of  seven 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  l8l 

ladies  and  four  gentlemen  a  long  while  yesterday, 
and  to-morrow^  have  my  other  one,  which  is  more 
numerous.  It  is  an  easy  task,  but  I  hope  we  shall 
have  oood  results  from  our  endeavors. 

Paris,  June  9th. 

I  really  am  half  killed  from  sight-seeing  and  fetes, 
but  all  has  interested  me  so  much,  and  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  [of  the  French]  have  been  most  kind. 
Yesterday  was  the  ball  at  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  quite 
the  same  as  it  had  been  for  you  and  dear  Papa,  and 
there  were  more  than  8,000  people  there.  It  was 
the  finest  sisfht  I  have  ever  seen,  and  it  interested 
me  all  the  more,  as  I  knew  it  was  the  same  as  m  the 
year  when  you  were  at  Paris. 

Every  morning  we  went  to  the  Exhibition,  and 
every  evening  there  was  a  dinner  or  ball.  It  was 
most  fatiguing.  To-morrow  morning  we  leave,  and 
had  really  great  trouble  to  get  away,  for  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  and  others  begged  us  so  much  to  re- 
main for  the  ball  at  the  Tuileries  to-morrow  night ; 
but  we  really  could  not,  on  account  of  Wednesday's 
concert,*  as  we  should  barely  arrive  in  time. 

The  attc7itat  on  the  Emperor  of  Russia  was  dread- 
ful, and  we  were  close  by  at  the  time.  The  Empress 
can't  get  over  it,  and  she  docs  not  leave  Uncle 
Sache's  f  side  for  an  instant  now,  and  takes  him 
everywhere  in  her  carriage. 

To-day  we  are  going  with  the  whole  Court  to 
Versailles.  Dear  Vicky  is  gone.  She  was  so  low 
the  last  days,  and  dislikes  going  to  parties  so  much 
just  now,  that  she  was  longing  to  get  home.  'I  he 
King  [of  Prussia]  wished  them  both  to  stop,  but  only 
Fritz  remained.    How  sad  these  days  will  be  for  her, 

*  At  Buckingham  Palace.  ■(•  The  Emperor  of  Russia. 


1 82  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

poor  love  !     She  was  in  such  good  looks  ;  every  one 
here  is  charmed  with  her. 

[During"  the  months  of  June  and  July,  1867,  the 
Princess  with  her  family  was  on  a  visit  in  England.] 

Darmstadt,  August  4th. 

We  arrived  here  at  midnight  on  Friday  and  I  was 
so  knocked  up  *  *  *  that  I  was  incapable  of 
doing  any  thing  yesterday. 

^  *  *  My  poor  Willem  *  was  buried  yester- 
day. Every  one  regrets  the  poor  child,  for  he  was 
very  dear.  I  miss  him  so  much  here,  for  he  did 
every  thing  for  me,  and  liked  being  about  me  and 
the  children.  All  our  servants  went  to  the  burial. 
It  quite  upset  me  here  not  to  find  him,  for  I  was 
really  attached  to  him,  and  he  learnt  so  well,  and  was 
in  many  ways  so  nice,  though  of  course  troublesome 
too  at  times.  How  short  life  is,  and  the  instant  one 
is  gone,  he  is  so  wiped  away  for  others,  and  one 
knows  so  absolutely  nothing  about  the  person  any 
more  !  Were  it  not  for  a  strong  faith  in  a  future,  it 
w^ould  indeed  be  cruel  to  bear.  No  one  of  the 
family  is  here.  We  leave  to-morrow  for  Zurich, 
where  we  shall  be  at  ten  at  night  ;  the  next  day  to 
Chur,  and  the  next  day  to  St.  Moritz. 

St.  Moritz,  August  ist. 

With  perfect  weather  we  accomplished  our 
journey  perfectly,  and  were  enchanted  with  the 
beautiful  scenery  from  Zurich  here,  not  to  speak  of 
this  place. 

The  first  day — 5th — we  left  Darmstadt  at  11  a.m., 
and  did  not  reach  Zurich  till  eleven  at  night.  We 
got   two    little    rooms  in    the    Hotel  Baur,  but  the 

*  The  Princess'  servant  (see  ante,  p.  56).  The  boy  was  brought  from 
Java  by  Baron  Schenk-Schmiitbiirg.  His  father  was  a  negro,  liis  mother 
a  Javanese. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 83 

whole  place  was  full.  The  next  morning-  after  break- 
fast we  went  t?o  look  at  the  lovely  lake,  which  is 
green  and  quite  transparent.  It  was  a  beautiful 
warm  morning.  We  left  by  rail  at  ten,  partly  along 
the  lake  of  Zurich  and  then  along  the  Wallenstadter 
See,  which  is  long  and  narrow,  with  high  perpendicu- 
lar mountains  down  to  the  water — very  wild  and 
picturesque.  This  lake  likewise  is  of  that  marvellous 
green  color.  We  reached  Chur  at  three  that  after- 
noon— a  pretty  small  town,  situated  close  up  against 
a  mountain.  We  visited  a  beautiful  old  church  there, 
which  contains  fine  old  pictures  and  relics  ;  it  was 
built  in  the  time  of  the  Romans,  and  is  still  the 
chief  church  of  the  bishopric. 

The  next  morning  we  two,  with  Sarah,  Logoz 
and  our  footman,  left  at  six  o'clock  in  a  diligence 
(we  both  sitting  in  the  coupe  in  front)  with  four 
horses,  for  here  the  road  is  the  grandest  one  can  im- 
agine, perpetually  ascending  for  two  hours,  and  then 
descending  again,  always  along  precipices,  and  the 
horses  at  a  quick  trot  turning  sharp  round  the 
corners — which,  I  assure  you  is  a  trial  to  the  best 
nerves.  We  drove  over  the  Julier  Pass,  which  was 
a  road  already  used  by  the  Romans,  and  which  is 
almost  the  highest  in  Switzerland.  One  passes 
close  to  the  top  of  the  mountains,  which  have  snow 
on  them,  and  are  wild  and  rugged  like  the  top  of 
Lochnagar.  Lower  down,  the  mountains  are  cov- 
ered with  bright  green  grass  and  fir  trees,  but  rocks 
look  out  everywhere,  and  there  are  constantly  lovely 
water-falls. 

After  crossing  the  Pass,  we  drove  down — very 
steep,  of  course  nothing  on  the  edge  of  the  road, 
always  zigzag,  and  at  a  sharp  trot — for  some  dis- 
tance down  to  Silva  Plana,  where  the  view  over  the 


184  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

valley  and  lakes  of  the  Engadine,  where  St.  Moritz 
lies,  is  beyond  description  beautiful. 

We  reach  this  in  the  evening  at  six  o'clock,  the 
weather  being  most  beautiful.  The  Curhaus  is  be- 
low the  town,  and  looks  like  a  large  asylum.  It  is 
overfilled  with  people.  We  have  two  rooms,  but 
our  people  as  yet,  none,  though  they  hope  for  some 
to-morrow. 

I  saw  Dr.  Berry,  a  little  Swiss  man,  and  he  rec- 
ommended me  to  take  the  baths  twice  a  week,  be- 
sides drinkinor  the  waters  ;  which  I  have  besfun  this 
morning  at  seven  o'clock,  the  usual  hour,  as  one 
has  to  walk  ijp  and  down  a  quarter  of  an  hour  be- 
tween the  glasses.  The  bath  I  took  at  ten.  It  is 
tepid  and  also  iron  water,  which  bubbles  like  soda 
water,  and  makes  one  feel  as  if  insects  were  crawl- 
ing over  one. 

Lina  Aumale  is  here,  the  Parises  and  Nemours. 
Fritz  and  Louise  [of  Baden]  leave  to-morrow.  This 
afternoon  we  drove  with  them,  in  two  funny  little 
"  Wageli "  with  one  horse,  to  Samaden,  where 
Louise  went  into  the  hotel  to  see  Mme.  d'Usedom, 
who  was  lately  upset  with  her  carriage  off  the  road, 
as  there  is  no  barrier,  and  hurt  herself  severely. 
We  saw  her  brother  likewise. 

I  have  sent  you  a  nosegay  of  Edelweiss  and  other 
Alp  flowers.  I  hope  it  won't  arrive  quite  dead. 
You  must  fancy  them  alive,  and,  if  they  could  speak, 
they  would  tell  you  how  much  I  love  you,  and  how 
constantly  I  think  of  you,  and  of  my  dear,  dear  home! 

St.  Moritz,  August  nth. 

*     *     *     All  the  Orleans'  left  this  place  suddenly 

yesterday,  as  there  are  three  cases  of  scarlatina   in 

the  house.     We  consulted  the  doctor  immediately, 

whether  he  thought  it  safe  for  Louis  to  remain,  he 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  IVORA^.  1 85 

never  having  had  it,  and  he  said,  "  Perfectly,  as  we 
are  at  the  other  end  of  the  house,  and  out  nearly  all 
day." 

Victor  and  Lolo  [Count  and  Countess  Gleichen] 
are  here,  and  we  went  out  drawing  together  yester- 
day ;  but  it  is  too  difficult  here.  I  think  constantly 
how  much  you  would  admire  this  place  :  it  is  indeed 
exquisitely  beautiful — much  the  finest  I  have  ever 
seen.  It  is  very  wild  and  reminds  me  in  parts  of 
dear  Scotland. 

You  say  that  our  home  in  England  is  dull  now 
for  those  who  like  to  amuse  themselves.  It  is  never 
dull,  darling  Mama,  when  one  can  be  with  you,  for 
I  have  indeed  never  met  a  more  agreeable  charming 
companion.  Time  always  flies  by  when  one  is  with 
you.     I  hope  it  is  not  impertinent  my  saying  so. 

St.  Moritz,  August  13th. 

*  *  '''  I  knew  you  would  feel  for  me  at  the 
loss  of  my  poor  Willem.  Of  course  one  must  feel 
that  sort  of  loss  more  than  that  of  many  a  relation, 
if  one  knew  the  latter  but  little.  I  said  to  Louis  at 
the  time,  that  Willem's  death  distressed  me  more 
than  would  that  of  several  relations  who  were  not 
intimate  with  me.     *     *     * 

Yesterday  we  and  the  Gleichens  went  to  the 
Rosegg  Glacier,  and  to  get  there  had  to  go  from 
Pontresina  in  little  Bergivagen,  which  are  strong 
miniature  Lcitei'wagen  without  springs,  and  we  went 
over  a  horrid  path  with  quantities  of  stones,  so  the 
shaking  was  beyond  description. 

Victor  and  Lolo  go  mostly  with  us  and  we  always 
dine  together. 

I  take  three  glasses  beginning  at  seven  in  the 
morning,  and  a  bath  at  eight.  One  lies  in  a  wooden 
thing,  covered  over  up  to  one's  chin  with  boards, 
and  remains  so  twenty  minutes. 


1 86  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

We  lunch  at  twelve  and  dine  at  half-past  six, 
and  go  to  bed  early.  We  are  out  nearly  all  day 
long.  It  is  very  warm,  the  sun  scorching  ;  my 
face  is  quite  red-brown,  in  spite  of  veils  and 
parasols.  I  feel  already  very  much  better,  and 
Louis  says  my  face  is  quite  fat.  I  wish  we  could 
remain  longer  than  the  end  of  the  month,  but  Louis 
must  be  home. 

I  hope  you  notice  the  pains  I  take  with  my  writ- 
ing, for  you  complained  of  it  at  Osborne — I  fear, 
justly — and  I  am  trying  to  improve  it  again. 

St.  Moritz,  August  i6th. 

Yesterday  we  made  a  beautiful  expedition,  which 
it  may  amuse  you  to  hear  of,  as  in  an  exaggerated 
way  it  reminded  me  of  our  nice  Scotch  ones.  The 
evening  before  we  left  with  Victor  and  Lolo  (without 
servants)  about  eight  o'clock  for  Pontresina.  The 
country  looked  more  beautiful  than  ever  in  the 
brightest  moonlight.  We  found  two  very  small  but 
clean  rooms  in  an  hotel  outside  the  village. 

The  next  morning  we  got  up  at  half-past  four, 
dressed,  and  breakfasted,  then  got  on  four  horses 
with  most  uncomfortable  saddles,  with  our  guide 
Adam  Engler,  an  amusing  man,  most  active  and 
helpful.  We  saw  the  sun  rising  over  the  snow- 
covered  mountains,  and  the  valleys  gradually  com- 
ing out  clearer. 

We  were  to  ascend  the  Piz  Languard,  a  mountain 
1,200  feet  high.  We  rode  for  two  hours  by  a  worse 
and  much  steeper  road  than  up  the  Glassalt,  then 
walked  over  rocks,  sand,  and  slippery  grass,  so  steep 
that  one  could  not  look  up  to  see  where  one  was 
going  to,  quite  precipitous  on  each  side,  leaving  snow 
and  o-lacier  below  us.  The  last  bit  has  a  sort  of  im- 
mensely  high   steps  hewn  in  the   rock.     After  an 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 87 

hour  and  a  half's  hard  labor  we  reached  the  summit, 
which  is  rocky  and  small — enormous  precipices  all 
round.  Poor  Lolo  was  giddy  for  some  time,  which 
was  very  unpleasant.  The  view  from  the  top  is 
most  extensive.  The  Italian,  Swiss,  and  Tyrolese 
Alps  are  all  to  be  seen,  but  the  view  was  not  very 
clear.  We  rested  and  ate  something,  and  drank 
some  Lochnagar  whisky.  The  sun  was  getting  in- 
tense. We  commenced  our  descent  at  eleven 
o'clock,  and  had  to  walk  the  whole  way  back,  for 
one  can't  ride  down.  We  did  not  reach  Pontresina 
till  nearly  four,  as  we  had  to  rest  several  times,  our 
limbs  ached  so,  for  there  is  no  level  ground  the 
whole  way,  and  the  stones  slip,  and  it  was  very  hot. 
I  had  quite  sore  feet  with  blisters  all  over,  so  that 
the  last  hours  were  really  agonizing.  But  it  is 
a  thing  to  have  done,  and  the  view  amply  repaid 
one,  though  one  does  not  feel  tempted  to  do  it  a 
second  time.  I  feel  very  well,  excepting  my  face, 
(which  is  still  burning  and  quite  red),  and  my  unfor- 
tunate feet. 

Poor  Christa  wrote  to  me  yesterday,  and  says  ; — 
"  I  must  also  tell  your  Royal  Highness  that  I  have 
received  a  letter  in  her  own  hand  from  Her  Majesty 
the  Queen.  I  cannot  express  how  deeply  this  has 
moved  me  and  filled  me  with  gratitude.  God  bless 
the  Queen  for  her  rare  human  love  ;  for  surely  there 
is  no  one,  who  in  such  a  position  as  hers,  has  pre- 
served a  heart  like  hers,  so  full  of  kindness  and 
sympathy  for  others."  '^' 

Dear  sweet  Mama,  your  kind  and  sisterly  words 
have  been  balsam  to  many  a  wounded  heart,  and 
many  are  the  blessings  that  have  been  craved  for 
you  from  above  by  hearts  filled  with  thankfulness 
for  your  true  sympathy. 

*  Wc  give  this  extract  in  a  tianslalion,  instead  of  t  le  original  German. 


1 88  FR/NCESS  ALICE. 

St.  Moritz,  August  21st. 

*  *  *  Now  I  will  tell  you  of  our  expedition. 
Louis  and  I,  Victor  and  Lolo,  and  a  guide,  with  each 
a  small  bag,  left  this  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
17th  (dear  Grandmama's  birthday)  in  a  carriage  for 
Pontresina  ;  from  thence,  in  two  of  those  shaky 
Bergwagen,  over  part  of  the  Bernina  Pass,  past  the 
magnificent  Morteratsch  Glacier,  which  we  saw  per- 
fectly. The  guide  told  us  he  had  been  there  with 
Professor  Tyndall,  and  that  the  latter  had  observed 
that  the  glacier  advanced  a  foot  a  day  in  the  warm 
weather,  and  old  people  recollect  it  having  been  a 
mile  higher  up.  We  soon  left  the  high-road,  and 
all  vegetation,  save  grass,  for  a  bad  path  into  the 
Val  da  Fain.  The  heat  was  again  intense.  We 
lunched  and  rested,  and  then  took  the  horses  out  of 
the  carts  for  us  ladies  to  ride.  The  scenery  was 
wild  and  severe,  until  we  began  again  to  descend, 
and  came  down  upon  the  lovely  Livigno  Valley, 
which  is  Italian,  and  covered  with  brown  chalets. 
We  reached  the  village  of  Livigno,  with  only  wooden 
huts,  by  six  o'clock,  and  turned  into  a  funny  little 
dark  inn,  in  which  we  four  found  one  small  but  clean 
room  for  us — most  primitive.  As  the  inhabitants 
speak  a  sort  of  Italian,  we  had  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty to  make  ourselves  understood.  Victor  cooked 
part  of  the  dinner,  and  it  was  quite  good. 

We  all  slept — I  resting  on  a  bed,  the  other  three 
on  the  floor — in  this  little  room,  with  the  small  win- 
dow wide  open. 

The  next  morning  we  left  at  nine,  and  drove  on 
no  road  in  such  a  small  carriage — of  course,  no 
springs — our  husbands  at  first  getting  a  lift  on  the 
horses,  without  saddles  ;  then  on  foot  up  a  steep  and 
dangerous   ascent.     Splendid  weather,  but  too  hot. 


A 7'  HOME  AXD  AT  WORK.  1 89 

We  went  over  the  Pass  of  the  Stretta  :  a  more  dif- 
ficult and  rougl^  ground  I  never  crossed  in  my  Hfe, 
but  splendid  scenery.  We  came  on  a  view  which 
was  glorious — such  enormous  snow-covered  moun- 
tains and  glaciers,  with  the  green  valleys  deep 
below  looking  on  Italy  and  the  Tyrol. 

We  reached  Bormio  by  seven,  and  took  up  our 
residence  at  a  bathing-place,  quite  magnificently 
situated,  very  high  up — also  Italian.  The  next 
morning  we  started  early  in  carriages,  and  went  over 
the  Stelvio  Pass.  There,  nearly  at  the  risk  of  my 
neck,  I  picked  for  the  first  time  some  Edelweiss, 
which  I  am  very  proud  of,  as  it  is  always  difficult 
and  rare  to  get. 

We  got  down  to  St.  Maria,  which  is  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  Miinsterthal  and  belongs  to  Switzerland. 
In  the  afternoon,  dreadfully  hot,  I  was  very  thirsty 
and  drank  off  a  glass  of  milk  ;  but  how  it  tasted  !  It 
was  goat's  milk  ;  the  people  keep  the  cow's  milk  for 
butter  and  cheese.  We  remained  the  night  there, 
and  left  the  next  morning  for  here,  by  Zernetz  and 
Ofen.  To  get  from  one  valley  into  another,  one  has 
always  to  ascend  and  descend  enormous  heights,  and 
always  by  narrow  paths  at  the  edge  of  precipices. 
We  enjoyed  our  tour  immensely,  and  got  on  per- 
fecdy  without  servants.  Packing  up  my  things, 
though,  every  morning  was  a  great  trouble,  and  the 
bag  would  usually  not  shut  at  first.  The  trees  grow- 
ing here  are  splendid  larches  and  arven  ''' ;  the  latter 
grow  only  in  these  very  high  regions  and  in  Siberia. 
Victor  and  his  wife  are  most  amiable  and  pleasant 
travelling-companions,  and  pleased  with  every  thing  ; 
not  minding  to  rough  it,  which  we  had  to  do. 

*  A  kind  of  dwarf  tree — half  pine,  half  juniper — which  grows  in  the 
highest  regions  of  the  Alps,  and  supplies  most  of  the  soft  wood  used  by  the 
Swiss  wood-carvers. 


I  go  PRI ACCESS  ALICE. 

ScHLOSs  Mainau,  August  30th. 

*  *  *  We  left  St.  Moritz  at  seven,  and  reached 
Chur  at  seven  in  the  evening.  The  next  day  we 
came  on  here  to  Louise  of  Baden.  Fritz  is  at 
Carlsruhe.  This  place  is  very  lovely,  though,  alas! 
the  fine  mountains  are  gone,  which  one  always 
misses  so  much. 

I  thought  of  you  more  than  I  can  say  on  the  dear 
26th,  and  I  felt  low  and  sad  all  day.  Dear  Papa! 
Time  has  not  yet  accustomed  us  to  see  each  anni- 
versary come  round  again,  and  he  still  remain  away. 
It  is  so  inexpressibly  hard  for  you,  and  you  must  feel 
such  intense  longing  for  the  dear  past.  There  re- 
mains a  future  !  that  is  the  only  consolation. 

To-day  we  went  with  Louise  by  carriage,  and  then 
across  part  of  the  lake  to  the  property  of  the  Em- 
peror Napoleon,  Arenenberg,  which  the  Empress 
gave  him  eight  years  ago,  and  which  was  his  home 
with  his  mother,  and  where  she  died.  Every  picture 
and  bit  of  furniture  is  replaced  as  it  was  when  the 
Emperor  lived  there,  and  he  was  there  himself  and 
replaced  every  thing.  It  is  quite  a  page  in  history  to 
see  all  the  things  that  surrounded  the  Emperor  in  the 
days  of  his  misfortune. 

Darmstadt,  September  8th. 

*  *  *  I  spent  three  days  and  two  nights  with 
dear  Alix  at  Wiesbaden,  and  I  find  her  leg  decidedly 
better.  *  '^  *  It  is  a  litde  less  hot  to-day,  but 
much  hotter  even  now  than  we  ever  have  in  England. 
Stallmeister  Meyer  *  came  to  see  us  yesterday,  and 
we  took  him  out  riding,  which  made  him  quite 
happy.  Any  one  who  reminds  me  of  the  good  old 
times  before  the  14th  of  December  does  me  good  ; 
it  is  a  pleasure  to  speak  about  those  past,  so  happy 

*  Riding-master  to  the  Prince  Consort  and  the  Queen  from  1840  to  1871. 


^  AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  I9I 

days  !  When  they  came  to  a  close,  I  lost  the  greater 
part  of  my  joyousness,  which,  though  I  am  so  happy, 
has  never  returned.  A  certain  melancholy  and  sad- 
ness sometimes  overcome  me,  which  I  can't  shake 
off;  then  I  have  HeimweJi  after  adored  Papa  to  such 
an  extent  that  tears  are  my  only  relief. 

Darmstadt,  September  20th. 

*  *  *  The  King  of  Prussia's  visit  went  off 
very  well  here,  and  both  high  personages  seemed 
pleased  to  have  got  over  the  meeting.  The  King 
came  most  kindly  to  see  us,  and  went  over  all  our 
rooms,  which  seemed  to  amuse  him.  "'  '"'  '" 
Yesterday  evening  Sache  and  Minnie  *  arrived,  and 
we  intend  gfoinsf  over  to  see  them  all  to-morrow. 

Louis  will  retain  the  command,  but,  according  to 
the  King's  advice,  has  demanded  a  Prussian  General 
Stabschef  [Chief  of  the  Staff],  which  will  be  a  great 
assistance  to  him. 

At  the  sale  of  the  Homburg  things  I  bought  a 
lovely  miniature  of  dear  Grandmama  in  a  black  velvet 
gown,  with  a  red  shawl  over  her  shoulder — shortly 
after  her  marriage,  I  think. 

Darmstadt,  October  3d. 
Yesterday  evening  I  returned  from  Wiesbaden, 
leaving  Alix  well,  but  having  caught  a  bad  cold  my- 
self.    The  children  have  equally  heavy  ones. 

Darmstadt,  October  8th. 
Many  thanks  for  your  letter  just  received,  and  for 
the  review  of  dear  Papa's  Life,  which  is  excellent, 
and  whicli  I  sent  on  to  Aunt  Feodore,  as  you  de- 
sired. I  have  been  laid  up  for  a  week  with  influenza, 
and  am  only  about  again  since  yesterday,  though  not 
out  of  the  house.     I  am  quite  weak  from  it.     The 

*  The  Cesarewitch  and  Cesarevvna. 


192  FJilNCESS  ALICE.  ^ 

whole  house  is  laid  up  with  bad  colds,  and  baby 
can't  shake  her's  off  at  all.  The  cough  is  so  tiring, 
and  she  whoops  whenever  she  coughs.  Poor  Jager, 
who  is,  alas!  we  fear,  consumptive,  broke  a  blood- 
vessel two  days  ago,  and  is  dangerously  ill,  to  the 
great  grief  of  all  in  the  house.  He  is  our  best  ser- 
vant, and  so  devoted  ;  he  never  would  take  care  of 
himself,  as  he  could  not  bear  letting  any  one  but 
himself  attend  on  Louis.  We  have  just  got  a  Dia- 
ko7iissin  [Deaconness]  to  nurse  him  ;  on  account  of 
his  great  weakness  he  can't  be  left  alone  one  instant. 

Sir  William,  Lady,  and  Charlotte  Knollys  have 
been  on  a  visit  to  us  ;  also  Lady  Geraldine  Somerset 
for  two  nights.  They  are  all  interested  to  see  our 
house. 

Uncle  George  has  made  me  a  present  of  one  of 
the  horses  the  Sultan  sent  him. 

Darmstadt,  October  loth. 

I  can't  find  words  to  say  how  sorry  I  am  that  dear 
sweet  Arthur  should  have  the  small-pox!  and  that 
you  should  have  this  great  anxiety  and  worry.  God 
grant  that  the  dear  boy  may  get  well  over  it,  and 
that  his  dear  handsome  face  be  not  marked ! 
Where  in  the  world  could  he  have  caught  it  ?  The 
Major  kindly  telegraphs  daily,  and  you  can  fancy,  far 
away,  how  anxious  one  is.  I  shall  be  very  anxious 
to  get  a  letter  with  accounts,  for  I  think  constantly 
of  him,  and  of  you.  My  parents-in-law  wish  me  to 
tell  you  how  they  share  your  anxiety,  and  how  they 
wish  soon  to  hear  of  dear  Arthur's  convalescence  ; 
of  course  my  Louis  likewise,  for  he  shares  all  my  feel- 
ings, being  a  real  brother  towards  my  Geschwistcr 
[brothers  and  sisters]. 

We  both  paid  the  King  of  Prussia  our  respects  at 
Frankfort  this  morning,  principally  to  tell  him  that 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  1 93 

Bertie  had  been  so  grieved  at  the  ill  success  of  his 
intended  visit,  as  ihe  Queen  begged  us  to  do. 

I  am  better  to-day,  but  Ella  and  Irene  can't  shake 
off  theii*  colds,  and  poor  Ella  is  altogether  unwell. 
Victoria  is  all  right. 

We  are  going  on  the  i8th  to  Baden  for  Fritz's 
birthday. 

Darmstadt,  October  14th. 

How  glad  I  am  to  see  by  your  letter  that  darling- 
Arthur  is  going  oh  so  very  well.  One  can't  be  too 
thankful  ;  and  it  is  a  good  thing  over,  and  will  spare 
one's  being  anxious  about  him  on  other  occasions. 

Bertie  and  Alix  have  been  here  since  Saturday 
afternoon,  and  leave  to-morrow.  They  go  straight 
to  Antwerp,  and  Bertie  is  going  back  to  Brussels  to 
see  the  cousins. 

The  visit  of  the  King  went  off  very  well,  and  Alix 
was  pleased  with  the  kindness  and  civility  of  the 
King.  I  hear  that  the  meeting  was  satisfactory  to 
both  parties,  which  I  am  heartily  glad  of.  Bearing 
ill-will  is  always  a  mistake,  besides  its  not  being 
right. 

Dear  Alix  walked  up  our  staircase  with  two  sticks, 
of  course  very  slowly,  but  she  is  improving  wonder- 
fully, though  her  knee  is  quite  stiff. 

Poor  Jager  is  a  litde  better,  and  the  momentary 
danger  is  past,  though  I  fear  he  cannot  ultimately 
recover.  How  hard  for  poor  Katrinchen  !  There 
is  much  sorrow  in  the  world,  and  how  often  such  a 
share  falls  to  the  best  and  gentlest!  I,  of  course,  go 
to  see  him  daily,  but  it  always  goes  to  my  very  heart 
to  see  that  attached  and  faithful  creature  dying  slowly 
away.     How  is  Brown's  sister  ? 

We  hope  that  Countess  Bliicher  will  return  here 
with  Vicky  and  me  from  Baden  for  a  few  days,  as  it 
is  an  age  since  Vicky  has  seen  her. 


194  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Dear  Alix  is  writing  in  my  room  at  this  moment, 
and  is  so  dear  and  sweet.  She  is  a  most  lovable 
creature. 

Darmstadt,  October  23d. 

I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  having  Augusta  and 
the  Dean  [Stanley]  here  since  yesterday,  but  they 
leave  again  this  morning. 

The  King  of  Prussia  is  here  to-day,  and  there  is  a 
large  dinner  for  him  in  the  Schloss,  and  he  is  kind 
enough  to  come  and  see  me  afterward. 

The  accounts  of  poor  dear  Aunt  Feodore  are  so 
sad,  and  I  hear  she  does  not  look  well,  and  is  so  low 
about  her  eyes  and  being  unable  to  see  you  again 
after  so  long  a  separation.  She  seems  alone  and 
lonely,  with  old  age  and  sickness  coming  over  her. 
If  I  had  been  well,  I  should  have  gone  to  see  her. 
I  am  much  better  these  last  days.  I  can  breathe 
much  better,  but  the  dreadfully  swelled  ankles  and 
wrists  remain  as  bad  as  before,  and  cause  great  dis- 
comfort and  even  pain.     I  never  had  this  before. 

ScHWEiNSBERG,  October  24th, 
Dear  Vicky  and  Fritz  left  us  yesterday  morning. 
It  is  such  a  pleasure  to  me  to  think  that  they,  like 
Bertie  and  Alix,  know  my  house,  and  that  they  have 
lodged  under  our  roof.  When  will  you,  darling 
Mama  ?  If  ever  again  you  go  abroad  and  wish  to 
rest  on  your  way,  all  in  the  world  we  have  is  at  your 
disposal.     How  happy  that  would  make  us  ! 

We  ourselves  left  at  four  yesterday  afternoon,  re- 
maining the  night  at  Marburg,  and  leaving  at  a 
quarter  to  five  in  the  morning,  so  that  Louis  could 
reach  Alsfeld  in  time  to  join  the  shooting-party. 
We  parted  at  Kirchhain,  and  I  came  here  with 
Christa  to  her  mother's  house — so  sad  and  changed 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 95 

since  three  years  ago.  It  is  most  kind  of  them  to 
have  taken  me  up  here,  and  the  bracing  air  will  do 
me  good.  They  know  that  I  can  understand  what  a 
house  of  mourning  is,  and  that  I  don't  want  to  amuse 
myself 

Ella  cried  on  parting  with  us  yesterday,  and 
wanted  to  g-et  into  the  train  with  us. 

Victoria  is  going  to  have  a  little  lesson  every 
other  day,  when  I  go  back,  from  Mr.  Geyer,  who 
taught  poor  Willem,  and  who  teaches  little  girls  par- 
ticularly well.  She  must  begin  in  my  room,  as  it  is 
better  not  to  have  lessons  in  the  nursery,  I  think. 
Vicky  and  I  spoke  much  together  about  education 
and  taking  a  governess.  I  thought  to  wait  a  year 
(for  financial  reasons),  and  I  think  it  time  enough 
then — do  not  you  ? 

Darmstadt,  October  26th. 

*  *  *  We  arrived  late  at  Baden,  and  Vicky 
and  Fritz,  who  had  had  two  long  days'  journey, 
were  very  tired  ;  but  we  had  to  go  to  dress  at  once, 
to  go  to  a  soiree  at  Madame  Viardot's,  which  lasted 
till  midnii^ht,  and  at  which  the  Kin^f  and  Oueen  were 
present.  Her  daughters  and  scholars  sang  a  little 
operetta  she  had  composed,  which  was  very  pretty. 

I  hope  the  inauguration  of  the  statue  went  off  as 
well  as  the  weather  would  permit. 

November  i5tli. 

*  '='  '^'  It  is  so  good  and  wholesome  not  always 
to  be  one's  own  master,  and  to  have  to  suit  one's 
self  to  the  wish  of  others,  and,  above   all,  to  that  of 

one's  mother  and  sovereign.     feels  it  as  such, 

and  often  told  me  so,  regretting  how  seldom  such 
was  the  case. 

The  Moriers  are  often  with  us,  and  we  value  them 
much  ;  they  are  such  pleasant  companions,  and  such 
excellent,  clever  people. 


196  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Darmstadt,  December  6th. 

*  *  *  The  visit  to  Claremont  must  have  been 
quite  pecuhar  for  you  ;  and  I  can  fancy  it  bringing 
back  to  your  mind  the  recollections  of  your  child- 
hood. In  spring  it  must  be  a  lovely  place,  and,  with 
gayer  papers  on  the  walls,  and  a  little  modern  com- 
fort, the  house  must  likewise  be  very  pleasant.  Ella, 
who  was  breakfasting  with  me  just  now,  saw  me  dip 
my  Bretzcl  in  my  coffee,  and  said  :  "  Oh,  Mama,  you 
must  not!  Do  you  allow  yourself  to  do  that  ?  "  be- 
cause I  don't  allow  her  to  do  it.  She  is  too  funny, 
and  by  no  means  quite  easy  to  manage — a  great  con- 
trast to  Victoria,  who  is  a  very  tractable  child.  Ella 
has  a  wonderful  talent  for  sewing,  and,  when  she 
keeps  quiet  a  little  while,  sews  quite  alone  and 
without  mistakes.  She  is  making  something  for  you 
for  Christmas,  which  she  is  quite  excited  about.  Vic- 
toria's little  afternoon  lesson  answers  admirably,  and 
is  the  happiest  time  of  the  day  for  her.  She  can 
read  words  already. 

We  have  snow  and  ice,  and  no  sunshine  since 
some  time,  and  it  is  not  inviting  to  take  the  dull 
walks  in  the  town.  But  I  make  a  rule  to  go  out 
twice  a  day,  and  keep  nearly  the  same  hours  as  at 
home. 

The  account  of  your  visit  to  Lady  Palmerston  and 
to  her  daughter  is  most  touching.  It  is  so  inexpres- 
sibly sad  for  grandmother  and  mother,  for  it  is  un- 
natural for  parents  to  survive  their  children,  and 
that  makes  the  grief  a  so  peculiar  one,  and  very  hard 
to  bear. 

December  9th. 

*  =!•  ■^-  During  the  long  winter  days,  when  Louis 
is  away  sometimes  four  times  in  the  week  from  six  in 
the  morninof  till  six  in  the  eveninof,  and  then  when  he 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  1 97 

returns  from  his  shooting  has  his  work  to  do,  I  feel 
lonely.  I  am  often  for  several  hours  consecutively 
quite  by  myself ;  and  for  my  meals  and  walks  only 
a  lady,  as  she  is  the  only  person  in  the  house  besides 
ourselves.  It  is  durinof  these  hours,  when  one  can- 
not  always  be  reading  or  at  work,  that  I  should  wish 
to  have  some  one  to  go  to,  or  to  come  to  me  to  sit 
and  speak  with  ;  but  such  is  not  the  case,  and  it  is 
this  I  regret — accustomed  as  I  was  to  a  house  full 
of  people,  with  brothers  and  sisters,  and  above  all, 
the  chance  of  being  near  you.  I  always  feel  how 
willingly  I  would  spend  some  of  those  hours  with  or 
near  you — and  the  sea  ever  lies  between  us !  When 
Louis  is  at  home  and  free — for  in  the  morning  I 
don't  see  him — then  I  have  all  that  this  world  can 
give  me,  for  I  am  indeed  never  happier  than  at  his 
dear  side  ;  and  time  only  increases  our  affection,  and 
binds  us  closer  to  each  other. 

We  have  deep  snow  now  and  sledging  the  last 
two  days. 

December  12th. 

Before  going  to  rest,  I  take  up  my  pen  to  write  a 
few  loving  words  that  they  may  reach  you  on  the 
morning  of  the  14th.  The  sound  of  that  date  brings 
with  it  that  sad  and  dreary  recollection  which,  for 
you,  my  poor  dear  Mama,  and  for  us,  time  cannot 
alter.  As  long  as  our  lives  last,  this  time  of  year 
must  fill  us  with  sad  and  earnest  feelings,  and  revive 
the  pain  of  that  bitter  parting. 

I  ouofht  not  to  dwell  on  those  hours  now,  for  it  is 
wrong  to  open  those  wounds  afresh,  which  God  in 
His  mercy  finds  little  ways  and  means  to  heal  and 
soothe  the  pain  of. 

Dear  darling  Papa  is,  and  ever  will  be  immortal. 
The   good    he    has   done  ;    the  great  ideas   he  has 


198  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

promulgated  in  the  world  ;  the  noble  and  unselfish 
example  he  has  given,  will  live  on,  as  I  am  sure  he 
must  ever  do,  as  one  of  the  best,  purest,  most  God- 
like men  that  have  come  down  into  this  world.  His 
example  will,  and  does,  stimulate  others  to  higher 
and  purer  aims  ;  and  I  am  convinced  that  darling 
Papa  did  not  live  in  vain.  His  great  mission  was 
done ;  and  what  has  remained  undone  he  has  placed 
in  your  dear  hands,  who  will  know  best  how  to 
achieve  his  great  works  of  love  and  justice.  I  shall 
think  much,  very  much,  of  you  on  the  14th,  and 
you  will  be  more  in  my  prayers  than  ever.  Think 
also  a  little  of  your  most  devoted  child ! 

Darmstadt,  Christmas  Day. 

We  missed  poor  Willem  so  much  in  arranging  all 
the  things  ;  and  poor  Jager's  illness  was  also  sad. 
We  gave  him  a  tree  in  his  room.  He  looks  like  a 
shadow,  and  his  voice  is  quite  hoarse. 

To  two  hospitals,  the  military  and  the  town  one,  I 
took  presents  yesterday,  and  saw  many  a  scene  of 
suffering  and  grief.  My  children  are  going  to  give 
a  certain  number  of  poor  children  a  Bcschcerimg 
on  New  Year's  Day.  It  is  so  good  to  teach  them 
early  to  be  generous  and  kind  to  the  poor.  They 
even  wish  to  give  some  of  their  own  things,  and 
such  as  are  not  broken. 

Your  many  generous  presents  will  find  their  use 
at  once,  and  the  Christmas  pie,  etc.,  be  shared  by  all 
the  family.  The  remembrances  of  those  bright 
happy  Christmases  at  Windsor  are  constantly  before 
me.  None  will  ever  be  again  what  those  were, 
without  you,  dear  Papa,  and  dear  kind  Grandmama. 

Darmstadt,  December  27th. 
*     *     *     I    am    sure    you   will    have    felt  under 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  199 

many  a  circumstance  in  life,  tliat  if  any  momentary 
feeling  was  upon  ^^u,  and  you  were  writing-  to  some 
one  near  and  dear,  it  did  you  good  to  put  down 
those  feelings  on  paper,  and  that,  even  in  the  act  of 
doing  so,  when  the  words  were  barely  written,  the 
feeling  had  begun  to  die  away,  and  the  intercourse 
had  done  you  good. 


1868. 


Although  the  winter  season  brought  many  social 
duties  with  it,  the  Princess'  active  personal  attention 
to  all  those  good  works  and  institutions  which  she 
had  called  into  existence  never  flagged.  No  subject 
of  interest  or  importance  escaped  her,  and  her  time 
was  always  fully  occupied.  In  April  she  met  the 
Crown  Prince  at  Gotha,  where  Prince  Louis  also 
came,  on  his  return  from  Munich,  to  fetch  her.  She 
spent  the  months  of  June  and  July  in  England  with 
her  three  little  girls,  either  at  Osborne,  Windsor,  or 
in  London.  The  return  journey  to  Darmstadt  was 
made  by  water  as  far  as  Mayence.  The  autumn 
was  spent  at  Kranichstein,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  which  the  manoeuvres  of  the  Hessian  division 
took  place,  at  some  of  which  the  Princess  was 
present. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  to  the  great  joy  of  the 
parents  and  the  country,  a  son  and  heir  was  born — 
''  a  splendid  boy."  At  his  christening,  on  the  28th 
of  December,  he  received,  at  the  special  desire 
of  the  Grand  Duke,  the  names  Ernst  Ludwig — which 


200  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

had  been  borne  by  so  many  of  the  old  Landgraves 
of  Hesse.  The  sponsors  were  the  Queen  of  Eng- 
land and  the  King  of  Prussia. 

Darmstadt,  January  24th. 

*  w  ♦  To-ni^ht  I  am  croinof  to  act  with  two 
other  persons  in  our  dining-room  a  pretty  little  piece 
called"  Am  Klavier,"  but  I  fear  I  shall  be  very  nervous, 
and  consequently  act  badly,  which  would  be  too  tire- 
some. 

I  have  never  tried  to  act  in  any  thing  since  "  Roth- 
kappchen," 

February  14th. 

What  a  fright  the  news  of  dear  Leopold's  danger- 
ous attack  has  given  us !  Mr.  Sahl's  letter  to 
Becker  arrived  yesterday  afternoon  containing  the 
bad  news,  and  he  spoke  of  so  lillle  hope,  that  I  was 
so  upset  and  so  dreadfully  distressed  for  the  dear 
darling,  for  you,  poor  Mama,  and  for  us  all,  that  I 
am  quite  unwell  still  to-day. 

When  your  telegram  came  to-day,  and  Louise's 
letter,  I  was  so  relieved  and  only  pray  and  hope  that 
the  improvement  may  continue.  May  God  spare 
that  young  bright  and  gifted  life,  to  be  a  comfort  and 
support  to  you  lor  many  a  year  to  come  ! 

Had  I  only  had  a  telegram  !  for,  the  letter  being 
two  days  old,  until  your  telegram  came  I  passed  six 
such  agonizing  hours  !  Away  irom  home,  every 
news  of  illness  or  sorrow  there  is  so  difficult  to  bear 
— when  one  can  share  all  the  anxiety  and  trouble 
only  171  tJwught. 

The  day  passes  so  slowly  without  news,  and  I  am 
always  looking  toward  the  door  to  see  if  a  telegram 
is  coming.  Please  let  me  hear  regularly  till  he 
is  quite  safe  ;  I  do  love  the  dear  boy,  as  I  do  all  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  so  tenderly  ! 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  20I 

How  I  wish  you  liad  been  spared  this  new 
anxiety  !  Those  two  days  must  have  been  dread- 
ful ! 

Darling  Mama,  how  I  wish  I  were  with  you ! 
God  grant  that  in  future  you  may  send  us  only  good 
news. 

Louis  and  my  parents-in-law  send  their  respectful 
love  and  the  expression  of  their  warmest  sympathy, 
in  which  the  other  members  of  the  family  join. 

February  2d. 

How  glad  and  truly  thankful  I  am,  that  the  Al- 
mighty has  saved  our  darling  Leopold  and  spared 
him  to  you  and  to  us  all !  For  the  second  or  even 
third  time  that  life  has  been  given  again,  when  all 
feared  that  it  must  leave  us  !  A  mother's  heart 
must  feel  this  so  much  more  than  any  other  one's, 
and  dear  Leopold,  through  having  caused  you  all  his 
life  so  much  anxiety,  must  be  inexpressibly  dear  to 
you,  and  such  an  object  to  watch  over  and  take  care 
of  Indeed  from  the  depth  of  my  heart  I  thank  God 
with  you  for  having  so  mercifully  spared  dear  Leo, 
and  watched  over  him  when  death  seemed  so  near! 

You  will  feel  deeply  now  the  great  joy  of  seeing 
a  convalescence  after  the  great  danger,  and  I  know, 
through  a  thousand  little  things,  how  your  loving 
and  considerate  heart  will  find  pleasure  and  consola- 
tion in  cheering  your  patient. 

That  for  the  future  you  must  ever  be  so  anxious  is 
a  dreadful  trial,  but  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  Leo  will 
yet  outgrow  this  strange  illness.  I  am  sure  good 
Archie  *  takes  great  care  of  him,  and  by  this  time 
he  will  have  gathered  plenty  of  experience  to  be  a 
good  nurse. 

*  Archibald  Brown,  his  valet,  younger  brother  of  the  Queen's  personal  at- 
tendant. 


202  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Baby  is  better,  but  her  poor  head  and  face  are 
perfectly  covered  with  spots,  and  she  was  in  despair 
with  the  smarting  and  itching,  and  of  course  rubbed 
herself  quite  sore.  Ella  has  it  slightly  since  this 
morn  i  no-. 

Darmstadt,  February  13th. 

*  *  *  First  let  me  wish  you  joy  for  the  birth 
of  this  new  grandson,  *  born  on  your  dear  wedding- 
day.  I  thought  of  you  on  the  morning  of  the  loth, 
and  meant  to  telegraph,  but  those  dreadful  neuralgic 
pains  came  on  before  I  had  time  to  look  about  me, 
and  really  laid  me  prostrate  for  the  whole  day,  as 
they  lasted  so  very  long.  I  have  never  felt  so  un- 
well, or  suffered  so  much  in  my  life,  and  this 
moment,  sitting  up  in  Louis'  room,  I  feel  more 
weak  than  I  have  ever  felt  on  first  getting  up  after 
my  confinements.  Quinine  has  kept  me  free  from 
pain  to-day,  and  I  hope  will  do  so  to-morrow.  I 
have  been  in  bed  a  week  and  touched  absolutely 
nothing  all  the  time.  Yesterday  evening,  as  through- 
out the  day,  I  had  had  (but  much  more  slightly)  a 
return  of  these  agonizing  attacks,  which  seized  my 
left  eye,  ear,  and  the  whole  left  side  of  my  head  and 
nose.  I  got  up  and  sat  in  Louis'  room  ;  I  could 
only  bear  it  for  two  hours,  and  all  but  fainted  before  I 
reached  my  bed.  If  I  can  get  strength,  and  have 
no  return  of  pain,  I  hope  to  go  out  after  to-morrow. 
I  could  not  see  the  children  or  any  one  during  this 
week,  and  always  had  my  eyes  closed,  first  from 
pain,  and  then  from  exhaustion  when  the  pain  left 
me.  I  really  thought  I  should  go  out  of  my  mind, 
and  you  know  I  can  stand  a  tolerable  amount  of 
pain. 

*  Prince  Waldemar  of  Prussia,  fourth  son  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Prin- 
cess.    He  died  of  diphtheria  on  the  27th  of  March,  1879. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  203 

February   17th. 

*  "^  *  I  am  so  distressed  that  you  remained 
so  long  without*' news.  I  was  really  for  a  whole 
week  quite  incapable  of  any  idea  about  any  thing-, 
and  had  mostly  my  eyes  shut,  and  was  constantly 
alone,  as  I  could  not  bear  any  one  in  the  room. 

General  Plonsky,  the  Corps  Commandant  from 
Cassel,  came  here  unexpectedly,  and  Louis,  being 
under  his  command,  was  so  taken  up  during  those 
days,  besides  an  immense  deal  of  military  business, 
that  I  never  saw  him  more  than  a  few  minutes  in  the 
morning;  and  during  his  free  time  in  the  afternoon 
he  sat,  like  the  best  nurse  in  the  world,  near  my  bed 
in  the  dark  room,  putting  wet  rags  on  my  head  and 
trying  by  every  possible  means  to  alleviate  my  pains. 
He  was  touching  in  the  great  care  he  took  of  me. 
Louis  and  Harriet  did  all  for  me,  and  I  could  bear 
no  one  else  about  me.  You  see,  poor  Louis  had 
no  time  to  write,  and  he  always  thought  that  I 
should  be  well  the  next  day  and  write  myself. 

Darmstadt,  February  24th. 

To  my  and,  I  fear,  dear  Vicky's  great  disappoint- 
ment, Dr.  Weber  won't  let  me  go  to  Berlin,  and 
wants  me  to  go  to  Wiesbaden  for  a  cold-water  cure 
instead.  The  latter  will  be  intensely  dull,  as  I  shall 
be  there  for  four  weeks  all  alone ;  but  I  believe  it 
will  be  very  beneficial,  as  with  every  year  I  seem  to 
get  more  rheumatic,  which  at  my  age  is  of  course 
not  good. 

We  shall  hope  to  be  able  to  come  to  Windsor, 
middle  of  June,  as  you  desire.  The  exact  time  you 
will  kindly  let  us  know  later. 

Darmstadt,  March  9th. 

*  *      *      Louis  left  yesterday  morning  for  Mu- 


204  PHINCESS  ALICE. 

nich.  It  is  a  twelve  hours'  journey.  There  is  a 
procession  on  foot  at  the  funeral,  going  to  the  church 
through  the  town,  which  will  last  about  two  hours, 
and  then  a  very  long  ceremony  in  the  large,  cold 
Basilica.* 

Darmstadt,  March  14th. 

I  send  you  a  few  lines  to-day  for  the  i6th,  the  an- 
niversary of  the  first  great  sorrow  which  broke  in 
upon  your  happy  life.  How  well  do  I  recollect  how 
I  accompanied  you  and  dear  Papa  down  to  Frogmore 
that  nieht,  our  dinner  in  the  flower  room,  the  dread- 
ful  watching  in  the  corridor,  and  then  the  so  painful 
end  !  Darling  Papa  looked  so  pale,  so  deeply  dis- 
tressed, and  was  so  full  of  tender  sympathy  for  you. 
He  told  me  to  go  to  you  and  comfort  you,  and  was 
so  full  of  love  and  comimiseration  as  I  have  never 
seen  any  man  before  or  after.  Dear,  sweet  Papa! 
that  in  that  same  year  we  should  live  together 
through  such  another  heart-rending  scene  again,  and 
he  not  there  to  comfort  or  support  you,  poor  Mama! 

It  sometimes,  even  at  this  distance  of  time,  seems 
nearly  impossible  that  we  should  have  lived  through 
such  times,  and  yet  be  alive  and  resigned. 

God's  mercy  is  indeed  great;  for  He  sends  a  balm 
to  soothe  and  heal  the  bruised  and  faithful  heart,  and 
to  teach  one  to  accommodate  one's  self  to  one's  sor- 
row, so  as  to  know  how  to  bear  it! 

Darmstadt,  April  2d. 
*      "■     *      Louis  is  in  a  most  unpleasant  crisis  with 
the   Ministry  and   the  Grand   Duke.     I  don't   know 
how  it  will  end. 

Darmstadt,  April  5th. 
Only  two  words   to-day,  as  my  heart  is  so   full  of 

*  At  the  funeral  of  King  Louis  I.,  who  had  died  at  Nice  on   the  29th  of 
February. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  205 

love  and  gratitude  to  you  who  took  such  care  of  me 
this  day  five  years  ago,  who  heard  Victoria's  first  cry, 
and  were  such  a'comfort  and  help  to  us  both.  All 
these  recollections  make  Victoria  doubly  dear  to  us, 
and,  as  in  this  world  one  never  knows  what  will  hap- 
pen, I  hope  that  you  will  always  watch  over  our 
dear  child,  and  let  her  be  as  dear  to  you  as  though 
she  had  been  one  of  us. 

We  have  spent  the  day  very  sadly  and  quietly 
toofether.  Louis'  affairs  have  taken  such  a  turn  that 
he  has  been  obliged  to  tender  the  Grand  Duke  his 
resignation,  as  he  does  not  consider  it  compatible 
with  his  honor  to  remain,  under  existinsf  circum- 
stances.  He  has  made  a  great  sacrifice  to  his  duty 
and  honor,  but  doing  one's  duty  brings  the  reward 
with  it  of  a  clear  conscience. 

April  3d. 

"  *  ■'*  The  King  of  Prussia  has  sent  General 
von  Bonin  here  to  speak  seriously  with  the  Grand 
Duke,  and  prove  to  him  through  papers,  etc.,  that  he 
has  not  kept  his  word,  and  that  he  has  been  very 
badly  advised,  and  that  Louis  was  quite  in  the  right. 
The  result  has  been  that  the  poor  Grand  Duke  is 
scandalized  at  the  state  of  affairs,  and  that  he  really 
seems  to  have  been  more  in  the  dark  than  was  sup- 
posed. He  gives  Louis  the  command  again,  sends 
away  the  whole  Kriegsministerium  [War  Depart- 
ment], to  be  reorganized  more  simply,  and  with 
other  people,  according  to  Louis'  proposals  ;  and  so 
all  viilitary  affairs  will  be  in  order,  and  Louis  have 
much  greater  power  to  carry  out  all  that  has  to  be 
done. 

We  are  so  pleased  at  all  having  turned  out  thus 
far  well,  and  know  that  you  will  share  our  feelinLTS. 

T  "  ... 

Louis  gets  more  work  and  a  great  responsibility ; 


206  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

but  he  has  proved  himself  so  capable  in  every  re- 
spect, so  active  and  hard-working,  that  I  think  and 
trust  he  will  overcome  all  difficulties. 

I  go  alone  to  Gotha,  and  Louis  will  follow  as  soon 
as  he  can,  so  as  to  spend  my  birthday  there. 

I  am  so  distressed  at  dear,  good  Sir  James  [Clark's] 
illness.  I  hope  and  trust  that  this  precious  old  friend 
will  still  be  spared  for  a  few  years  at  least. 

Gotha,  April  25th. 

*  *  *  It  is  now  eleven  years  since  I  spent  my 
birthday  with  dear  Vicky,  and  she  has  been  so  dear 
and  kind,  and  dear  Aunt  and  Uncle  likewise.  We 
spend  the  day  quite  quietly  together,  and  the  bad 
weather  prevents  any  expeditions. 

After  to-morrow  we  go  home. 

Darmstadt,  May  4th. 

Accept  my  best  thanks  for  your  last  letter  written 
on  dear  Arthur's  birthday.  The  playing  of  the  band 
I  am  sure  gave  him  pleasure  ;  but  it  would  be  too 
painful  for  all  ever  to  have  it  again  on  the  terrace  as 
formerly.  There  are  certain  tunes  which  that  Ma- 
rine Band  used  to  play,  which,  when  I  have  chanced 
to  hear  them  elsewhere,  have  quite  upset  me,  so 
powerful  does  the  recollection  of  those  so  very  happy 
birthdays  at  Osborne  remain  upon  me !  Those 
happy,  happy  days  touch  me  even  to  tears  when  I 
think  of  them.  What  a  joyous  childhood  we  had, 
and  how  greatly  it  was  enhanced  by  dear,  sweet 
Papa,  and  by  all  your  great  kindness  to  us  ! 

I  try  to  copy  as  much  as  lies  in  my  power  all 
these  things  for  our  children,  that  they  may  have  an 
idea,  when  I  speak  to  them  of  it,  of  what  a  happy 
home  ours  was. 

I  do  feel  so  much  for  dear  Beatrice  and  the  other 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  20/ 

younger  ones,  who  had   so  much  less  of  it  than  we 

had! 

•■ 

Darmstadt,  May  nth. 

For  your  sake  I  am  sorry  that  my  condition  should 
cause  you  anxiety,  for  you  have  enough  of  that,  God 
knows.  But  I  am  so  well  this  time  that  I  hope  and 
trust  all  may  go  well,  though  one  is  never  sure.  It 
is  this  conviction  which  I  always  have,  and  which 
makes  me  serious  and  thoughtful,  as  who  can  know 
whether  with  the  termination  of  this  time  my  life 
may  not  also  terminate  ? 

This  is  also  one  of  the  reasons  why  I  long  so  very 
much  to  see  you,  my  own  precious  Mama,  this  sum- 
mer, for  I  cling  to  you  with  a  love  and  gratitude,  the 
depth  of  which  I  know  I  can  never  find  words  or 
means  to  express.  After  a  year's  absence  I  wish 
so  intensely  to  behold  your  dear,  sweet,  loving  face 
again,  and  to  press  my  lips  on  your  dear  hands.  The 
older  I  grow  the  more  I  value  and  appreciate  that 
mother's  love  which  is  unique  in  the  world  ;  and 
having,  since  darling  Papa's  death,  only  you,  the  love 
to  my  parents  and  to  adored  Papa's  memory  is  all 
centred  \r\  you. 

Louis  has  leave  from  the  iith  of  June  to  the 
nth  of  August. 

Uncle  Ernest  is  coming  here  to-day  for  the  day, 
from  Frankfort,  where  he  has  been  to  a  cattle-show. 
Uncle  Adalbert  is  here,  so  much  pleased  with  having 
seen  you  again,  singing  the  praise  of  both  Lenchen 
and  Louise,  which  of  course  I  joined  in,  as  it  is  such 
a  pleasure  to  hear  others  admire  and  appreciate  my 
dear  sisters. 

Darmstadt,  May  14th. 
I  know  you  will  be  grieved  to  hear  that  we  all 


2o8  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

have  had  the  grief  of  losing  good,  excellent  Jager.* 
He  was,  on  the  whole,  better  and  was  out  daily,  and 
he  went  to  bed  as  usual,  when  in  the  middle  of  the 
night  he  called  one  of  the  men,  and  before  they 
could  come  to  his  assistance  he  expired,  having 
broken  a  blood-vessel.  Poor  Katrinchen's  despair 
and  grief  were  quite  heart-rending,  when  we  went 
together  to  see  our  true  and  valued  servant  for  the 
last  time.  I  was  so  upset  by  the  whole,  that  it  was 
some  days  before  I  got  over  it.  We  made  wreaths 
to  put  on  his  coffin,  which  was  covered  with  flowers 
sent  from  all  sides,  and  we  both  were  at  the  door 
with  our  servants  when  he  was  carried  out,  and  tried 
to  console  the  poor,  unfortunate  Braut  [bride],  who 
remained  at  home. 

He  was  the  best  servant  one  could  find  ;  never, 
since  he  has  been  in  our  service,  had  he  been  found 
fault  with  by  any  one.  He  was  good,  pious,  and 
gentle,  and  very  intelligent.  The  death  of  a  good 
man,  who  has  fulfilled  his  allotted  duty  in  this  world 
as  a  good  Christian  ought,  touches  one  deeply,  and 
we  have  really  mourned  for  him  as  for  a  friend,  for 
he  was  one  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  Jager 
rests  alongside  my  poor  Willem,  in  the  pretty  little 
cemetery  here  ;  a  bit  of  my  heart  went  with  them. 

Fritz,  on  his  way  back  from  Italy,  spent  a  few 
hours  with  us,  and  told  us  much  of  his  journey.  He 
heard  the  strangest  rumors  of  France  intending  to 
break  out  in  sudden  hostilities  with  Germany,  and 
asked  me  what  you  thought  of  a  probability  of  a  war 
for  this  summer.  I  hope  to  God,  that  nothing  hor- 
rid of  that  sort  will  happen  !  Do  you  think  it  likely, 
dear  Mama  ? 

*  A  footman,  much  valued  by  the  Prince  and  Princess. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  209 

Darmstadt,  May  19th. 

My  own  darling  and  most  precious  Mama,  the 
warmest  and  tenderest  wishes  that  grateful  children 
can  form  for  a  beloved  parent  we  both  form  for  you, 
and  these  lines  but  weakly  express  all  I  would  like 
to  say.  May  God  bless  and  watch  over  a  life  so 
precious  and  so  dear  to  many  !  It  is  now  six  years 
since  I  spent  that  dear  day  near  you,  but  I  hope  that 
some  time  or  other  we  shall  be  allowed  to  do  so. 
Our  joint  present  is  a  medal  for  you  with  our  heads. 
We  had  it  made  large  in  oxidized  silver  on  purpose 
for  you.  I  myself  have  braided  and  embroidered, 
with  Christa's  help  (who  begged  to  be  allowed  to  do 
something  for  you),  a  trimming  for  a  dress,  which  I 
hope  you  will  like  and  wear.  It  took  a  deal  of  my 
time,  and  my  thoughts  were  so  much  with  you  while 
I  was  doing  it,  that  I  quite  regretted  its  completion. 

We  are  having  a  bracelet  with  our  miniatures  and 
the  three  children's  in  it  made  for  you,  but  unfortu- 
nately it  is  not  finished,  so  we  shall  bring  it  and  give 
it  to  you  ourselves. 

Darmstadt,  May  29th. 

*  *  *  The  intense  heat  remains  the  same,  and 
becomes  daily  less  endurable  here  in  town — the  re- 
sult on  my  unfortunate  person  being  a  very  painful 
rash  which  itches  beyond  all  description.  I  hope  it 
won't  increase. 

How  I  envy  you  at  Balmoral !  the  very  thought  of 
that  air  makes  me  better. 

Osborne,  August  6th. 

I  was  just  sitting  down  to  write  to  you  when  Er- 
nest came  in  with  your  dear  letter.  Thousand  thanks 
for  it !  These  parting  lines  will  be  such  a  dear  com- 
panion to  me  on  our  journey.  I  can't  tell  you  how 
much  I  felt  taking  leave  of  you  this  time,  dear  Mama ; 


2IO  FA'AVC£SS  ALICE. 

it  always  is  such  a  wrench  to  tear  myself  away  from 
you  and  my  home  again.  Where  I  have  so,  oh,  so 
much  to  be  thankful  and  grateful  to  you  for,  I  always 
fear  that  I  can  never  express  my  thanks  as  warmly 
as  I  feel  them,  which  I  do  indeed  from  the. bottom  of 
my  heart.  God  bless  you,  darling  Mama,  for  all 
your  love  and  kindness  ;  and  from  the  depth  of  my 
heart  do  I  pray  that  nothing  may  cause  you  such 
anxiety  and  sorrow  again  as  you  have  had  to  bear  of 
late.     *     *     ^- 

When  I  left  you  at  the  pier  the  return  to  the 
empty  house  was  so  sad  !  It  felt  quite  strange,  and 
by  no  means  pleasant,  to  be  here  without  you  and  all 
the  others.  We  lunched  alone  with  Victoria,  and 
dined  in  the  hot  dining-room  with  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  sitting  on  the  terrace  afterward. 

It  has  rained  all  the  morning,  and  is  most  oppres- 
sive. As  it  is  so  foggy,  we  have  to  leave  at  two  ; 
but  there  is  no  wind,  and  I  hope  the  sea  will  be  quite 
smooth.  I  am  sure  you  must  feel  lonely  and  de- 
pressed on  this  journey,  poor  Mama ;  but  the  change 
of  scene  and  beautiful  nature  enjoyed  in  rest  and 
quiet  must  surely  do  you  good. 

Kranichstein,  August  loth. 
*  *  *  We  left  Osborne  at  two  on  Thursday  in 
rain  and  wind.  The  children  and  I  were  dreadfully 
sick  an  hour  after  starting,  but  the  passage  got 
smoother  later  ;  and,  though  I  was  very  wretched  in 
every  way,  I  was  not  sick  again.  The  same  sort  of 
weather  on  the  Alberta  next  morning,  but  it  cleared 
up  later.  The  Rhine  steamer  was  very  comfortable, 
and  Doctor  Minter  accompanied  us  to  Dordrecht. 
The  last  afternoon  and  night  on  board  I  suffered 
dreadfully.  Since  I  arrived  here,  I  am  better,  but 
not  right  yet.     Had  it  not  been  for  your  great  kind- 


AT  HOME  AND   AT  WORK.  211 

ness  in  giving"  us  the  ship,  I  am  sure  I  should  not 
have  got  home. right.  This  awful  heat  adds  to  my 
feelings  of  fatio-ue  and  discomfort. 

Kranichstein,  August  nth. 

I  have  just  received  your  letter,  from  Lucerne,  and 
hasten  to  thank  you  for  it. 

How  glad  I  am  that  you  admire  the  beautiful 
scenery,  and  that  I  know  it,  and  can  share  your  ad- 
miration and  enjoyment  of  it  in  thought  with  you! 
It  is  most  lovely.  The  splendid  forms,  and  the  color 
of  the  lake,  are  two  things  that  we  don't  know  in 
dear  Scotland,  and  which  are  so  peculiar  to  Swiss 
scenery. 

Louis  is  in  town  from  eight  till  our  two  o'clock 
dinner,  and  has  a  great  deal  to  do. 

For  your  sake  as  for  my  own  I  long  for  a  respite 
from  this  unbearable  heat,  which  is  so  weakening 
and  trying. 

Kranichstein,  August  i6th. 

'^  *  *  How  satisfactory  the  accounts  of  dear 
good  Arthur  are  !  From  the  depth  of  my  heart  do 
I  congratulate  you  on  all  that  Colonel  Elphinstone 
says  about  his  character,  for  with  a  real  moral  foun- 
dation, and  a  strict  sense  of  duty  and  of  what  is  right 
and  wrong,  he  will  have  a  power  to  combat  the 
temptations  of  the  world  and  those  within  himself. 
I  am  sure  that  he  will  grow  up  to  be  a  pride  and 
pleasure  to  you,  and  an  honor  to  his  country. 

Brown  must  have  been  glad  to  be  allowed 
to  continue  wearing  his  kilt,  and,  as  it  is  a  national 
dress,  it  is  far  more  natural  that  he  should  give  it  up 
nowhere.  I  am  sure  that  he  and  Annie  *  must  ad- 
mire the  place. 

*  Mrs.  McDonald,  the  Queen's  first  wardrobe-maid. 


212  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Kranichstein,  August  26th. 
I  have  just  received  your  dear  letter,  and  am  so 
pleased  to  hear  that  you  enjoyed  your  excursion,  and 
that  you  have  now  seen  the  sort  of  wild  scenery 
high  up  in  the  mountains,  which  I  think  so  beautiful 
and  grand  in  Switzerland.  For  all  admirers  of  that 
style  of  scenery  there  is  nothing  to  be  compared  to 
Switzerland. 

Since  it  became  cool  again  I  have  had  neuralgia 
in  my  head,  and  I  have  had  a  dreadful  sty,  which  had 
to  be  cut  open,  and  made  me  quite  faint  and  sick  for 
the  whole  day.  In  spite  of  it  I  went  to  the  station 
here,  with  a  thick  veil  on,  to  see  the  Russian  relations 
pass  two  days  ago.  The  Emperor  looks  even  more 
altered  and  worn  since  last  year,  and  is  suddenly 
grown  so  old. 

Kranichstein,  September  4th. 

*  *  *  How  too  delightful  your  expeditions 
must  have  been  !  I  do  rejoice  that,  through  the 
change  of  weather,  you  should  have  been  able  to  see 
and  enjoy  all  that  glorious  scenery.  Without  your 
good  ponies  and  Brown,  etc.,  you  would  have  felt 
how  difficult  such  ascents  are  for  common  mortals, 
particularly  when  the  horses  slip,  and  finally  sit 
down.  I  am  sure  all  this  will  have  done  you  good  ; 
seeing  such  totally  new  beautiful  scenery  does  re- 
fresh so  immensely,  and  the  air  and  exertion — both 
of  which  you  seem  to  bear  so  well  now — will  do 
your  health  good. 

Yesterday  we  both  were  two  hours  at  Jugenheim. 
To-day  the  two  little  cousins  are  coming  to  see 
my  children. 

Louis'  business  is  increasing  daily,  and  until  the 
19th,  manoeuvres,  inspections,  etc.,  won't  be  over. 
He  will  even  have  to  be  away  on  his  birthday,  which 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  213 

is  a  great  bore.     There  is  a  great   review   for  the 
Ertiperor  on  Saturday. 

Sepetmber  15th. 

*  ■  '^  *  Like  a  foolish  frightened  creature  as  I 
am,  I  have  worried  myself  so  much  about  this  sud- 
den talk  of  war  and  threatening  in  all  the  French 
papers,  saying  that  October,  November,  or  there- 
abouts would  be  a  good  time  to  begin.  Do  tell  me, 
if  you  think  there  is  the  least  reasonable  apprehen- 
sion for  any  thing  of  that  sort  this  year.  I  have  such 
confidence  in  your  opinion,  and  you  can  imagine 
how  in  my  present  condition  I  must  tremble  before 
a  recurrence  of  all  I  went  through  in  1866  ! 

I  am  so  grieved  that  you  should  be  so  unwell  on 
the  journey  home.  Dear  beautiful  Scotland  will  do 
you  good.  I  envy  your  going  there,  and  wish  I 
could  be  with  you,  for  I  am  so  fond  of  it.  Remem- 
ber me  to  all  the  good  people. 

Darmstadt,  October  28th. 

*  •:<-  *  Yhe  Queen  of  Prussia  is  coming  to 
lunch  with  us  on  Saturday  on  her  way  to  Coblenz. 

I  have  a  cold  these  last  days,  and  Victoria  is  still 
confined  to  the  house  with  her  swelled  neck.  She 
had  quite  lost  her  appetite,  and  I  tried  some  porridge 
for  her,  which  she  enjoys,  and  I  hope  it  will  fatten 
her  up  a  little,  for  she  is  so  thin  and  pale.  Would 
you  please  order  a  small  barrel  of  oatmeal  to  be 
sent  to  me  ?  Dr.  Weber  thinks  it  would  be  very 
good  for  Victoria,  and  one  cannot  get  it  here. 

Darmstadt,  November  20th. 
It  is  with  the  greatest  interest  that  I  read  about  the 
Mausoleum,'"  as  I  was  very  anxious  to  know  whether 
all  would  be  finished.     Having  been  present  before 

*  The  Royal  Mausoleum  at  Frogmore. 


2  1 4  FJilNCESS  ALICE. 

at  all  the  important  steps  in  the  progress  of  this  un- 
dertaking, 1  feel  very  sorry  to  be  absent  at  the  last, 
and  I  shall  be  very  impatient  to  see  it  all  again. 

Winter  has  quite  set  in  now  here,  and  when  there 
is  no  wind  the  cold  is  very  pleasant. 

Darmstadt,  December  4th. 

Thousand  thanks  for  all  your  dear  kind  wishes, 
for  your  first  letter  to  me,  for  the  one  to  Louis,  and 
finally  for  the  eatables  !  I  can't  tell  you  how  touched, 
how  pleased  we  both  are  at  the  kind  interest  all  at 
home  have  shown  us  on  this  occasion.  It  has  really 
enhanced  our  pleasure  at  the  birth  of  our  little  son, 
to  receive  so  many  marks  of  sympathy  and  attach- 
ment from  those  in  my  dear  native  home,  and  in  my 
present  one.  My  heart  is  indeed  overflowing  with 
ofratitude  for  all  God's  blessinors. 

The  time  itself  was  very  severe,  but  my  recovery 
is  up  to  now  the  best  I  have  ever  made,  and  I  feel 
comparatively  strong  and  well. 

The  girls  are  delighted  with  their  brother,  though 
Victoria  was  sorry  it  was  not  a  sister.  Darling 
Louis  was  too  overcome  and  taken  up  with  me  at 
first  to  be  half  pleased  enough.  Baby  is  to  be  called 
by  Louis'  Uncle  Louis'  wish,  £rnst  Ludivtg,  after  a 
former  Landgrave  ; '''  then  we  would  like  you  to  give 
the  name  Albert ;  Charles,  after  my  father-in-law  ; 
and  William,  after  the  King  of  Prussia,  whom  we 
mean  to  ask  to  be  cfodfather.  The  christenina-  is 
most  likely  to  be  on  the  28th,  or  thereabout. 

I  am  on  my  sofa  in  my  sitting-room  with  all  your 
dear  photos,  etc.,  around  me,  and  your  pretty  quilt 
over  me. 

December  12th. 

*     *     :i:     Every   new   event   in    my   life    renews 

*  Who  died  on  the  8th  of  November,  1825. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  2 1 5 

the  grief  for  dear  Papa's  loss,  and  the  deep  regret 
that  he  was  not  here  to  know  of  all,  to  ask  advice 
from,  to  share  j5y  and  grief  with,  for  he  was  such  a 
tender  father,  and  would  have  been  such  a  loving 
grandfather. 

You,  darling  Mama,  fill  his  place  with  your  own, 
and  may  God's  support  never  leave  you,  and  ever 
enable  you  to  continue  fulfilling  the  many  duties 
toward  State  and  family  !  The  love  of  your  children 
and  people  encircles  you. 

Darmstadt,  December  i8th. 

*  *  ■''  The  presents  you  intend  giving  baby 
will  delight  us,  and  in  later  years  I  can  tell  him  all 
about  his  Grandpapa,  and  how  I  wish  and  pray  he 
may  turn  out  in  any  way  like  him,  and  try  and  aim 
to  become  so. 

I  think  it  would  be  best,  perhaps,  if  you  asked  my 
mother-in-law  to  represent  you  and  hold  baby.  I 
think  it  would  pain  her,  should  any  one  else  do  it, 
and  I  will  ask  her  in  your  name,  if  you  will  kindly 
telegraph  me  your  approval. 

I  am  sorry  Arthur  cannot  come,  it  would  have 
given  us  such  pleasure  had  it  been  possible. 

The  greater  part  of  baby's  monthly  gowns  have 
been  put  away,  as  from  the  beginning  they  were  too 
small.     He  is  so  very  big. 

Christmas  Day. 

*  "  *  Louis  thanks  you  thousand  times,  as 
we  do,  for  the  charming  presents  for  the  children. 
They  showed  them  to  every  one,  shouting:  "  This  is 
from  my  dear  English  Grandmama"  ;  and  Ella,  who  is 
always  sentimental,  added :  "  She  is  so  very  good, 
my  Grandmama."  Irene  could  not  be  parted  from 
the  doll  you  gave  her,  nor  Victoria  from  hers.  Baby 
was   brought   down,  and  was  wide  awake  the  whole 


2l6  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

time,  looking  about  with  his  little  bright  eyes  like  a 
much  older  child. 

We  spent  a  very  happy  Christmas  eve,  surrounded 
by  the  dear  children  and  our  kind  relations. 

Darmstadt,  December  29th. 

*  *  *  Prince  Hohenzollern  with  three  gentle- 
men were  sent  by  the  King,  and  the  former  dined 
with  us  after  the  ceremony.  All  went  off  so  well, 
and  baby,  who  is  in  every  way  like  a  child  of 
two  months,  looked  about  him  quite  wisely,  and 
was  much  admired  by  all  who  saw  him. 

I  am  so  sorry  that  you  have  never  seen  my  babies 
since  Victoria,  for  I  know  you  would  admire  them, 
they  look  so  mottled  and  healthy.  Weather 
permitting,  baby  is  to  be  photographed  to-mor- 
row. 


1869. 

The  winter  passed  quickly  and  quietly  amidst 
many  occupations. 

In  May  the  Prince  and  Princess,  with  their  chil- 
dren, went  on  a  visit  to  the  Crown  Prince  and 
Princess  of  Prussia  at  Potsdam,  where  they  spent 
four  happy  weeks.  Whilst  they  were  there,  the 
Viceroy  of  Egypt  paid  a  visit  to  Berlin.  Later  in 
the  summer  they  went  to  Silesia,  and  spent  some 
time  at  Fischbach,  a  property  belonging  to  Princess 
Charles  of  Hesse,  whose  sister,  the  Queen  of 
Bavaria,  and  brother.  Prince  Adalbert  of  Prussia, 
joined  them  there.  During  their  stay,  the  Prince 
and  Princess  made  excursions  into  the  neighboring 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  2iy 

mountains,  and  ascended  the  Schneekoppe  ;  and  the 
Prince   and   his   brothers  visited    the    battlefield    of 
Konigsgratz.       On  the  way  back  to  Darmstadt  they 
visited'  Dresden,  to    see    the    King   and   Queen 
Saxony    at   their    country    seat,   Pillnitz,  an    h 
drive  from  Dresden. 

In  Auofust,  the  Kine  of  Prussia  for  the  first  time 
personally  inspected  the  Hessian  troops.  Thci 
Prince  commanded  the  troops  at  the  manoeuvres 
in  Upper  Hesse,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  they 
paraded  before  the  King  of  Prussia  at  Bergen. 

Some  weeks  later,  the  Prince  and  Princess  of 
Wales  and  their  family  paid  Prince  and  Princess 
Louis  a  visit  at  Kranichstein.  The  opening  of  the 
Idiot  Asylum  built  by  the  Princess  took  place  on  the 
1 5th  of  October  in  her  presence  and  that  of  the 
Prince.  It  had  been  arranged  that  Prince  Louis 
should  accompany  the  Crown  Prince  of  Prussia  on 
his  journey  to  the  East,  on  the  occasion  of  the  open- 
ing of  the  Suez  Canal.  He  started  on  the  9th 
of  October  for  Venice.  The  two  Princes  visited 
Corfu,  Athens,  and  Constantinople,  and  were  received 
with  every  possible  honor  in  the  capitals  of  Greece 
and  Turkey.  They  went  on  to  Jaffa,  and  thence  to 
Jerusalem,  Hebron,  Damascus,  and  Baalbec,  and 
finally,  on  the  i5th  of  November,  they  arrived  at 
Port  Said,  where  they  met  a  large  number  of  other 
Princes.  A  journey  up  the  Nile  as  far  as  the  first 
and  second  cataracts  brought  their  travels  to  an  end. 
They  returned  home  by  way  of  Naples,  and  through 
Italy. 


21 8  PJ?/NCESS  ALICE. 

During  the  absence  of  the  two  Princes,  the  Crown 
Princess  of  Prussia  and  Princess  AHce,  with  her 
h'ttle  son,  went  to  Cannes.  Whilst  there,  the 
Princess  devoted  herself  entirely  to  the  care  of  her 
child.  Being  together  with  her  sister,  and  in  that 
sunny  country,  made  up  somewhat  for  the  long  sep- 
aration from  her  husband.  The  Princes  joined  the 
two  Princesses  at  Cannes  shortly  before  Christmas. 
The  new  year  saw  them  all  at  home  again. 

Darmstadt,  January  8th. 

*  =i:  :;:  Dear  charming  Lady  Frances  [Baillie] 
is  on  a  visit  with  us,  and  I  enjoy  having  her  so  much. 
We  talk  of  old  times  at  Frogmore,  and  so  many 
pleasant  recollections, 

I  am  glad  that  you  like  baby's  photograph,  though 
it  does  not  do  him  justice.  He  is  a  pretty  baby  on 
the  whole,  and  has  a  beautiful  skin,  very  large  eyes, 
and  pretty  mouth  and  chin  ;  but  his  nose  is  not  very 
pretty,  as  it  is  so  short  at  present.  He  is  a  dear 
good  child,  and,  though  immensely  lively,  does  not 
give  much  trouble.  He  is  a  great  source  of  happi- 
ness to  us,  and  I  trust  will  continue  so. 

Darmstadt,  January  13th, 

*  :i<  *  J3  j^Q|-  j-j-jg  death  of  Leopold's  son  shock- 
ing ?  ^  Such  sufferinof,  such  9.  strueo^le  for  months 
between  life  and  death  \  and  for  the  poor  parents  to 
have  in  the  end  to  relinquish  their  child,  their  only 
son!  I  think  it  heart-rending.  May  the  Almighty 
continue  to  supp.ort  them  even  now,  as  he  did  these 
many  months  I  I  cannot  say  how  much  and  truly  I 
feel  for  them  both.  This  world  is  full  of  trials,  and 
spme  SiCem  to  be  called  upon  to  suffer  and  give  up  so 

*  The  only  son  and  heir  of  the  King  of  the  Belgians, 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  219 

mirch.  Faith  and  resignation  alone  can  save  those 
hearts  from  breaking,  when  the  burden  must  be 
so  heavy. 

A  few  days  ago  at  two  o'clock  we  had  another 
shock  [of  earthquake],  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  house 
rocked  ;  at  the  same  time  the  unearthly  noise. 
I  think  it  uncommonly  unpleasant,  particularly  this 
repetition. 

January  30th. 

Our  thoughts  and  prayers  are  so  much  with  you 
and  dear  Leopold  on  this  day  [his  Confirmation]. 
May  the  Almighty  bless  and  protect  that  precious 
boy,  and  give  him  health  and  strength  to  continue  a 
life  so  well  begun  and  so  full  of  promise ! 

It  seems  to  me  quite  incredible,  the  eighth  of  us 
should  already  be  old  enough  to  take  this  step  in  life, 
and  to  have  his  childhood  in  fact  behind  him.  Dear 
Papa's  blessing  surely  rests  on  him,  and  his  spirit  is 
near  you  as  you  stand  there  alone  by  the  side  of  his 
child,  about  whom  he  always  was  so  anxious. 

February  5th. 

*  *  "■  Beloved  Papa's  cast  arrived  a  few  days 
ago,  and  stands  in  my  bedroom.  I  think  it  very 
beautiful,  and  thank  you  so  warmly  for  having  sent 
it  me. 

Poor  Orchard,  whose  leg  is  very  painful  and 
swelled,  is  to  go  to  bed  for  a  week  for  entire  rest  of 
the  limb.  You  can  imagine  how  inconvenient  this 
is,  as  we  have  only  Emma  and  Kathrinchen  for  the 
others  and  baby.  You  will  be  amused  when  I  tell 
you  that  old  Amelung  is  coming  to  sleep  with  baby, 
and  take  charge  of  him  ;  but  she  is  too  old  and  out 
of  practice  to  be  able  to  wash  and  dress  him  morning 
and  evening  besides,  so  I  do  that,  and  it  is  of  course 
a  great  assistance  to  all,  my  being  able  to  do  it,  and 


220  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

I  don't  mind  the  trouble.  Of  a  morning,  as  Louis 
is  usually  out  riding  or  at  his  office,  I  take  Victoria 
and  Ella  out,  who  are  very  good  little  girls  and 
very  amusing. 

Darmstadt,  March  8th. 

*  *  *  We  shall  go  to  Potsdam  the  first  week 
in  May,  and  from  there  go  for  a  week  or  ten  days  to 
Fischbach.  My  mother-in-law,  Tante  Mariechen, 
and  Uncle  Adalbert,  are  all  going  to  spend  my 
mother-in-law's  birthday  there. 

The  Moriers  are  going  to  England  in  the  first 
days  of  April,  and  I  hope  that  you  will  see  them. 
We  see  a  good  deal  of  them,  and  like  them  both 
much.  He  is  wonderfully  clever  and  learned,  and 
-takes  interest  in  every  thing  ;  and  she  is  very 
agreeable,  and  a  most  satisfied,  amiable  disposition 
— always  contented  and  amused. 

March  19th. 
I  thought  of  you  so  much  on  the  i6th.  From  that 
day  dated  the  commencement  of  so  much  grief  and 
sorrow;  yet  in  those  days  you  had  one,  darling 
Mama,  whose  first  thought  and  deepest  was  to  com- 
fort and  help  you,  and  I  saw  and  understood  only 
then  how  he  watched  over  you,  and  how  and  every- 
where he  sought  to  ward  off  all  that  was  painful  and 
strange  from  you,  and  took  all  that  pain  alone  for 
himself  for  your  sake  !  I  see  his  dear  face — so 
pale,  and  so  full  of  tears,  when  he  led  me  to  you 
early  that  morning  after  all  was  over  and  said, 
"  Comfort  Mama,"  as  if  those  words  were  a  Vovbe- 
deutuJig  [presage]  of  what  was  to  come.  In  those 
days  I  think  he  knew  how  deep  my  love  was  for  you, 
and  that  as  long  as  I  was  left  in  my  home,  my  first 
and    only  thought    should    be   you  and  you  alone ! 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  221 

This  I  held  as  my  holiest  and  dearest  duty,  until  I 
had  to  leave  you,  my  beloved  Mother,  to  form  a 
home  and  family  for  myself,  and  new  ties  which 
were  to  take  up  much  of  my  heart  and  strength. 

But  that  bond  of  love,  though  I  can  no  more  be 
near  you,  is  as  strong  as  ever. 

Darmstadt,  March  23d. 

■55-  *  *  Yesterday  it  was  very  warm,  and  to- 
day it  snows  ;  the  weather  continues  so  changeable 
and  many  people  are  ill.  Ella  has  again  had  one  of 
her  bad  attacks  in  her  throat,  but,  thank  God,  it 
passed  away  very  soon.  Two  nights  ago  she  could 
not  speak — barely  breathe — and  was  so  uncomfort- 
able, poor  child.  It  makes  one  so  anxious  each 
time  ;  but  I  hope  she  will  outgrow  it,  when  she  is 
six  or  seven  years  old. 

Victoria  is  already  now  composing  a  letter  for 
your  birthday.  I  won't  have  her  helped,  because  I 
should  like  you  to  see  her  own  ideas  and  style — it 
is  much  more  amusinsf. 

March  26th. 

*  *  *  We  had  such  an  unexpected  pleasure 
the  other  day  in  the  visit  of  good  General  Seymour, 
and  I  was  so  pleased  to  see  some  one  who  had  seen 
you  lately,  and  who  could  give  me  news  of  my 
home.  He  had  not  been  here  since  he  came  with 
us  after  our  marriage,  and  was  of  course  interested 
in  seeing  every  thing. 

April  2d. 

*  *  *  The  constant  anxiety  about  the  chil- 
dren is  dreadful  ;  and  it  is  not  physical  ill  one  dreads 
for  them,  it  is  moral  :  the  responsibility  for  these 
little  lent  souls  is  great,  and,  indeed,  none  can  take 
it  lightly  who  feel  how  great  and  important  a  parent's 
duty  is. 


222  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Darmstadt,  April  5th. 

*  *  *  Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter, 
and  for  all  the  tender  wishes  for  our  dear  child's 
birthday!  The  child  born  under  your  roof  and 
your  care  is  of  course  your  particular  one,  and  later, 
if  you  wish  to  keep  her  at  any  time  when  we  have 
been  paying  you  a  visit,  we  shall  gladly  leave  her. 

Victoria  is  so  delighted  with  what  you  sent  her, 
and  sends  her  very  warmest  thanks  and  her  tender- 
est  love.  She  is  in  great  beauty  just  at  present,  as 
she  is  grown  stouter  ;  and  I  look  with  pleasure  on 
those  two  girls  when  they  go  out  together.  They 
possess,  indeed,  all  we  could  wish,  and  are  full  of 
promise.  May  the  Almighty  protect  them  and 
give  them  a  long  life,  to  be  of  use  and  a  joy  to  their 
fellow-creatures ! 

April  i6th. 

*  *  *  Rain  and  wind  have  at  length  cooled 
the  air,  for  this  heat  without  any  shade  was  too  un- 
pleasant. Louis  left  at  five  this  morning  to  inspect 
the  garrison  at  Friedberg  and  Giessen,  and  then  to 
go  to  Alsfeld  to  shoot  Azierhahne  [capercailzies].  He 
will  return  on  the  21st  or  22d  probably. 

We  shall  indeed  be  so  pleased,  if  later  you  wish 
to  have  any  of  the  granddaughters  with  you,  to 
comply  with  any  such  wish,  for  I  often  think  so  sadly 
for  your  dear  sake,  how  lonely  it  must  be  when  one 
child  after  another  grows  up  and  leaves  home  ;  and 
even  if  they  remain,  to  have  no  children  in  the  house 
is  most  dreary.  Surely  you  can  never  lack  to  have 
some  from  amongst  the  many  grandchildren  ;  and 
there  are  none  of  us,  who  would  not  gladly  have 
our  children  live  under  the  same  roof  where  we 
passed  such  a  happy  childhood,  with  such  a  loving 
Grandmama  to  take  care  of  them. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  223 

April  25th. 

*  *  *  May  I  only  know  the  way  to  give  my 
children  as  muth  pleasure  and  happiness  as  you 
have  ever  known  to  give  me  ! 

The  dinner  of  family  and  suite  is  here  in  the 
house  to-day — or  rather  I  should  call  it  a  luncheon, 
as  it  is  at  two  o'clock. 

The  Irish  Church  question,  I  quite  feel  with  you, 
will  neither  be  solved  nor  settled  in  this  way  ;  and 
instead  of  doing  something  which  would  bring  the 
Catholics  more  under  the  authority  of  the  State, 
they  will,  I  fear,  be  the  more  powerful.  It  seems  to 
me  that  one  injustice  (with  regard  to  the  Protestants) 
is  to  be  put  in  the  place  of  a  former  one,  instead  of 
doing  justice  to  both,  which  would  not  have  been 
an  impossibility  through  some  well-considered  set- 
tlement and  giving  in  on  both  sides.  Such  a  change- 
nient  requires  so  much  thought  and  wisdom,  and, 
above  all,  impartiality. 

May  3d. 

*  *  *  My  children  are,  on  the  whole,  very 
well  behaved  and  obedient,  and,  save  by  fits  and 
starts,  which  don't  last  long,  very  manageable.  I  try 
to  be  very  just  and  consistent  in  all  things  toward 
them,  but  it  is  sometimes  a  great  trial  of  patience,  I 
own.  They  are  so  forward,  clever,  and  spirited,  that 
the  least  spoiling  would  do  them  great  harm. 

How  glad  I  am  that  the  dear  Countess  [Blucher] 
is  with  you  again  ;  she  is  the  pleasantest  companion 
possible,  and  so  dear  and  loving,  and  she  is  devoted 
to  you  and  dear  Papa's  memory  as  never  any  one  was. 

PoTSDAiM,  May  25th. 
How  much  wc  thought  of  you  yesterday,  I   can't 
say !     Lord  Augustus  Loftus  lunched  with  us  three 


224  PUnVCESS  ALICE. 

and  the  elder  children  ;  and  we  drank  your  health, 
the  band  playing  "  God  Save  the  Queen  !  "  All  our 
girls  had  wreaths  of  natural  flowers  in  honor  of  the 
day. 

Potsdam,  June  ist. 

*  *  *  To-day  is  regular  March  weather,  and 
the  palace  is  cold  and  draughty. 

We  were  in  Berlin  yesterday,  to  visit  the  Gewerbe- 
Museum  [Industrial  Museum]  ;  then  luncheon  at 
Lord  Augustus  Loftus',  and  from  thence  to  the  Vic- 
toria bazaar  and  Victoria  Stift,  and  then  home. 

It  is  always  so  tiring  to  see  things  at  Berlin  ;  an 
hour's  rail  there  and  the  same  back  takes  so  much 
time.  Before  returning,  we  paid  a  short  visit  to 
Baron  Stockmar  and  his  wife,  who  is  very  pleasing, 
and  seems  to  suit  him  perfectly.  They  look  as  if 
they  had  always  belonged  to  each  other. 

Potsdam,  June  13th. 
Our  time  here  is  soon  drawing  to  a  close,  much  to 
my  regret ;  for  the  life  with  dear  Vicky — so  quiet 
and  pleasant— reminds  me  in  many  things  of  our 
life  in  England  in  former  happy  days,  and  so  much 
that  we  had  Vicky  has  copied  for  her  children.  Yet 
we  both  always  say  to  each  other,  no  children  were 
so  happy,  and  so  spoiled  with  all  the  enjoyments 
and  comforts  children  can  wish  for,  as  we  were  ;  and 
that  we  can  never  (of  course,  still  less  I)  give  our 
children  all  that  we  had.  I  am  sure  dear  Papa  and 
you,  if  you  could  ever  hear  how  often,  how  tenderly, 
Vicky  and  I  talk  of  our  most  beloved  parents,  and 
how  grateful  we  are  for  what  they  did  for  us,  would 
in  some  measure  feel  repaid  for  all  the  trouble  we 
gave,  and  all  the  anxiety  we  caused.  I  ever  look 
back  to  my  childhood  and  girlhood  as  the   happiest 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  225 

time  of  my  life.  The  responsibilities,  and  often  the 
want  of  many  a  thing,  in  married  life  can  never  give 
unalloyed  happiness. 

We  are  looking  for  a  governess  for  the  two  elder 
girls  for  next  year,  and  a  lady  with  the  necessary 
knowledge  and  character,  and  yet  of  a  certain  rank, 
is  so  difficult  to  find. 

Potsdam,  June  19th. 

Louis  went  two  days  ago  to  Fischbach  for  his 
mother's  birthday,  and  returns  to-morrow  morning. 
Vicky  was  very  low  yesterday  ;  she  has  been  so  for 
the  last  week,  and  she  told  me  much  of  what  an 
awful  time  she  went  through  in  1866,  when  dear 
Siggie  [Sigismund]  died.  The  little  chapel  is  very 
peaceful  and  cheerful,  and  full  of  flowers.  We  go 
there  e7i  passant  nearly  daily,  and  it  seems  to  give 
dear  Vicky  pleasure  to  go  there. 

Vicky  goes  on  the  7th  of  July  to  Norderney. 

Fischbach  Schlesien,  July  2d. 

We  arrived  here  in  this  exquisitely-lovely  country 
two  days  ago,  and  were  received  by  our  parents-in- 
law  and  Aunt  Mariechen,  whose  guests  we  are  in 
the  pretty  old  Castle  of  Fischbach,  surrounded  by  fine 
old  trees,  with  a  view  on  the  beautiful  Riesengebirge, 
which  reminds  me  a  little  of  Scotland,  and  also  of 
Switzerland.  The  valleys  are  most  lovely  and 
the  numberless  wooded  hills,  before  one  reaches  the 
high  mountains,  are  quite  beautiful.  The  trees 
are  splendid  and  the  country  looks  very  rich  and 
green. 

All  the  'people  of  the  village  and  the  neighborhood 
came  out  to  see  us  and  our  children,  andokl  servants 
of  Louis'  grandparents,  who  were  so  delighted  and 
pleased  that  I  and  my  children  should  be  here,  and 


226  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

that   they  should  have   Hved  to   see   the   younger 
feneration. 

We  are  out  seeing  the  beautiful  spots  nearly  all 
day  long.  The  weather  is  fine  and  not  very  warm, 
so  that  one  can  go  about  comfortably.  Yesterday 
we  went  over  for  tea  to  Erdmannsdorf.  If  only  dear 
Vicky  and  Fritz  were  there  now  !  We  must  hope 
for  another  year  to  be  there  together.  The  parting 
from  them,  who  had  made  our  sejour  under  their 
hospitable  roof  such  a  very  happy  one,  was  very  sad, 
and  the  pouring  rain  was  in  accordance  with  our 
feelings.  We  left  them  and  dear  lovely  Potsdam 
and  the  pleasant  life  there  with  much  regret,  and 
many  a  blessing  do  I  send  back  in  thought  to 
its  dear  inmates. 

Yesterday  afternoon  we  were  at  Schmiedeberg. 
We  went  to  see  a  very  interesting  carpet-manufac- 
tory, worked  by  hand,  and  all  by  girls,  and  a  very 
simple  process,  much  like  making  fringe,  which  you 
used  to  do  and  then  make  footstools  of  after 
Beatrice's  birth. 

Yesterday  our  wedding-day — already  seven  years 
ago — made  me  think  so  much  of  Osborne,  and 
of  you,  darling  Mama,  and  of  all  that  passed  during 
that  time.  It  was  a  quiet  wedding  in  a  time  of  much 
sorrow,  and  I  often  think  how  trying  it  must  have 
been  for  you. 

Kranichstein,  July  21st. 

Yesterday  after  eighteen  hours'  very  hot  railway 
journey,  we  arrived  here  all  well.  Many  thanks  for 
your  letter,  which  I  received  at  Dresden.  It  was  im- 
possible to  write,  as  I  had  to  pay  visits  and  to  see 
things  during  those  two  days. 

The  Crown  Prince  and  Princess  received  us  at  the 
station  ;    the    following  day   we   paid  our  visits.     I 


A  T  HOME   AND  A  T  WORK.  22/ 

found  Marie*  in  bed  looking  very  well,  and  her  baby, 
tied  up  in  a  cushion,  seemed  a  nice  child.  Her 
other  children  are  very  pretty ;  the  eldest  girl  is  like 
George,  and  the  little  one  has  a  quantity  of  fair  curls, 
like  Louis  of  Portugal's  boy.  In  the  afternoon 
of  that  day  the  King  and  Queen  came  to  see  us,  and 
were  very  kind.  She  is  very  like  the  Queen  Dow- 
ager of  Prussia,  her  twin  sister,  and  her  other  sister, 
Queen  Marie,  is  very  like  her  twin  sister,  Arch- 
duchess Sophie.  As  they  are  first  cousins,  and  very 
fond  ones,  of  my  father-in-law,  they  consider  them- 
selves of  course  as  our  aunts. 

I  went  to  see  the  picture-gallery,  which  has  some 
exquisite  pictures,  though  the  Sistine  Madonna  sur- 
passes all  others,  and  the  famous  Holbein,  of  which 
the  Dresden  gallery  has  been  for  long  so  proud,  is 
now  recognized  as  a  copy,  and  the  one  that  belongs 
to  my  mother-in-law  as  the  original.  We  visited  the 
Grune  Gewobel  [the  Green  Vaults],  where  the 
magnificent  jewels  and  other  treasures  are  preserved, 
and  the  King  was  kind  enough  to  lead  us  over  the 
rest  of  the  castle  himself,  including  his  own  rooms,  in 
one  of  which  the  life-size  pictures  of  his  last  four 
daughters  (all  dead)  stand,  of  whom  he  cannot  speak 
without  tears.  How  dreadfully  he  and  the  poor 
Queen  must  have  siiffered  these  last  years  ! 

Uncle  Louis  is  at  Friedberg  and  intends  remain- 
ing there  all  next  month,  till  the  manoeuvres  are  over. 
Alice  Morier  will  accompany  me. 

Kranichstein,  July  25th. 
Thousand    thanks    for    your   kind  letter  which   I 
received  yesterday,  at  the  same  time  that  the  beau- 
tiful christening  present  for  Ernest  arrived  !     Thou- 

*  Princess  George  of  Saxony,  Infanta  of  Portugal,  who  died  in  February, 


228  FI^INCESS  ALICE. 

sand  thanks  for  this  most  beautiful  and  precious  gift 
for  our  boy,  from  Louis  and  from  myseh  !  We  are 
so  pleased  with  it !  It  is  to  be  exhibited  here,  and 
it  will  interest  and  delight  all  who  see  it,  I  am  sure. 

I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Bertie,  announc- 
ing his  arrival  here  for  the  28th.  We  shall  be  greatly 
pleased  to  see  them  all ;  but  we  have  so  little  room, 
and  our  house  in  town  is  all  shut  up  and  under 
repair,  so  that  we  shall  have  some  trouble  to  make 
them  comfortable  and  shall  be  quite  unable  to  do  it 
as  we  should  wish.  But  I  trust  they  will  be  lenient 
and  put  up  with  what  we  can  offer. 

The  heat  is  very  great,  though  this  place  is  com- 
paratively cool. 

Kranichstein,  July  29th. 

Dear  Bertie  and  Alix  with  their  children  arrived 
at  Darmstadt  after  ten,  and  we  brousfht  them  here 
by  eleven  o'clock  last  night.  They  are  all  looking 
well,  but  Bertie  has  shaved  off  his  beard,  which  does 
not  suit  him.  Dear  Alix  is  unchanged,  and  cer- 
tainly no  fatter. 

The  children  are  very  dear  and  pretty,  but  my 
boy  is  as  tall  as  little  Louise,  and  of  course  much 
bigger.  I  am  so  delighted  to  see  them  all  again  ;  it 
is  such  a  great  pleasure,  as  you  can  well  imagine. 

The  pony  you  kindly  sent  us  has  just  arrived,  and 
to  the  great  delight  of  all  the  children,  who  send 
their  best  thanks.  We  are  all  lodged  very  close 
together:  Bertie  and  Alix,  our  bedroom  and  my 
dressing-room  ;  we  both,  my  sitting-room,  and  the 
passage-room ;  then  come  the  different  children. 
No  gentlemen  or  ladies  are  in  the  house,  as  it  was 
utterly  impossible. 

Kranichstein,  August  nth. 

*     *     *     Victoria  has  often  ridden  on  Dred,  and 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  229 

also  the  other  girls,  on  a  Spanish  saddle,  and  he 
goes  very  well.  They  delight  in  him.  Baby  rolls 
about  the  room  *  anywhere  now,  and  tries  to  crawl 
properly.  He  calls  Papa,  and  tries  no  end  of  things  ; 
he  is  very  forward,  and  is  now  cutting  his  fifth  tooth, 
which  is  all  but  through. 

Friedberg,  August  26th. 

On  this  dear  day  I  must  send  you  a  few  words. 
The  weather  is  so  beautiful,  and  the  sun  so  bright, 
as  it  used  to  be  at  Osborne  in  former  years.  I  don't 
care  for  the  sun  to  shine  on  this  day  now,  as  it  can't 
shine  on  Him  whose  day  it  was.  It  makes  one  too 
wchmilthig  to  think  of  darling  Papa  on  those  happy 
birthdays,  and  it  must  be  more  so  for  you  than  for 
any  of  us,  poor  Mama. 

Yesterday  was  Ludwigstag  ;  all  the  town  deco- 
rated with  flags,  illuminations,  etc.,  and  English  flags 
and  arms  with  the  Hessian  everywhere. 

We  started  on  horseback  along  the  high  road  at 
half-past  seven  this  morning,  and  did  not  get  off  till 
^  one.  A  lovely  country  and  very  interesting  to  see. 
To-morrow  we  shall  have  a  very  long  march,  and 
the  night  Alice  Morier,  I  and  William  (Louis  is  un- 
decided) will  spend  at  Prince  Ysenburg's  at  Biidin- 
nen.  The  next  morninof  we  have  to  ride  off  at  half- 
past  five,  and  a  long  day  back  here. 

Kranichstein,  September  nth. 
*  *  •^-  What  charming  expeditions  you  must 
have  made  in  that  lovely  country  ?  *  What  I  saw 
of  it  some  years  ago  I  admired  so  intensely.  You 
can  well  be  proud  of  all  the  beauties  of  the  High- 
lands, which  have  so  entirely  their  own  stamp,  that 

*  This  refers  to  the  Queen's  stay  at  Invertrossachs,  and  the  excursions  to 
the  neif;hl)orhoo(l.  These  are  described  in  "  More  Leaves  from  a  Journal 
of  a  Life  in  the  Highlands,"  pp.  116-147  (London,  1884). 


230  PjRINCESS  ALICE. 

no  Alpine  scenery,  however  grand,  can  lessen  one's 
appreciation  for  that  of  Scotland. 

The  day  before  yesterday  we  went  to  Mayencfe  to 
see  a  "  Gezuerbe-Atissfdlimg"  [Industrial  Exhibition] 
of  the  town,  which  was  very  good  and  tastefully 
arranged.  From  there  we  went  to  Frankfort  to  our 
palace,  for  a  rendezvous  with  Aunt  Cambridge, 
Uncle  George,  Augusta  and  Fritz  Strelitz.  I  showed 
them  the  children,  and  afterwards,  when  our  rela- 
tions left,  we  took  our  children  to  the  Zoological 
Garden,  which  delighted  them. 

Many  thanks  for  the  grouse,  which  has  just 
arrived,  the  first  since  two  years  ago ! 

Darmstadt,  October  3d. 
*  *  *  I  am  very  glad  that  you  also  approve 
of  Louis*  journey,  which  I  know  will  be  so  useful 
and  interesting  for  him,  though  it  was  not  possible 
to  attain  this  without  parting  from  each  other,  which 
is,  of  course,  no  small  trial  for  us,  who  are  so  unac- 
customed to  being  separated.  But  we  never  thought 
of  that  when  we  considered  the  plan  of  Louis  join-  * 
ing  Fritz,  which  was  my  idea,  as  travelling  in  new 
countries  is  so  good  for  a  man,  and  Louis  may  never 
find  so  good  a  chance  again.  I  am  looking  forward 
very  much  to  seeing  Geneva — where  we  spend  a 
day — and  the  south  of  France,  and  above  all,  seeing 
the  sea  again.  Fritz  passes  through  here  to-morrow. 
Louis  starts  Saturday  morning,  via  Munich,  for 
Venice,  where  he  will  join  Fritz  next  Sunday  after- 
noon, and  spend  the  following  Monday  there  before 
they  go  to  Brindisi.  Vicky  comes  here  with  her 
children  on  the  12th  or  13th,  and  a  suite  of  twenty- 
five  people.  She  goes  on  with  the  big  boys  to 
Baden,  and  I  follow  with  the  other  children  on  the 
following  day.     I  don't  like  separating  Victoria  and 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  23 1 

Ella,  who  like  being  together  ;  the  three  girls  will  be 
so  well  taken  care  of  at  their  grandparents'.  I  have 
written  down  rules  for  meals,  going  out,  to  bed,  to 
lessons,  etc.;  and  my  mother-in-law,  who  never 
interferes,  will  see  that  all  is  carried  out  as  I  wish. 
I  shall  miss  them  so  much,  but  having  one  child  at 
least  is  a  comfort ;  and  baby  is  beginning  to  talk, 
and  is  so  funny  and  dear,  and  so  fond  of  me  that  he 
will  be  company  to  me  when  I  am  alone.  I  take  no 
one  but  Orchard,  Eliza,  Beck,  and  my  HausJiof- 
meister  [Steward],  who  used  to  be  with  Lord  Gran- 
ville. 

Darmstadt,  October  nth. 

Yesterday  morning  at  eleven  we  had  the  hard 
separation  from  each  other,  which  we  both  felt  very 
much.  My  own  dear,  tender-hearted  Louis  was 
quite  in  the  state  he  was  in  when  we  parted  at 
Windsor  in  i860  after  our  enofasfement.  He  does 
not  like  leaving  his  children,  his  home,  and  me,  and 
really  there  are  but  few  such  husbands  and  fathers 
as  he.  To  possess  a  heart  like  his,  and  to  call  it  my 
awn,  I  am  ever  prouder  of  and  more  grateful  for 
from  year  to  year.  Nowadays  young  men  like 
Louis  are  rare  enough,  for  it  is  considered  fine  to 
neglect  one's  wife,  and  for  the  wife  also  to  have 
amusements  in  which  her  husband  does  not  share. 
We  sisters  are  singularly  blessed  in  our  husbands. 

Dear  kind  Countess  Bliicher  has  been  here  the 
last  two  days — such  a  happiness  to  me  just  now,  for 
the  house  feels  far  too  lonely. 

Grand  Hotel,  Cannes,  November  5th. 
*     '='     *      I    have   this   instant   received    another 
letter  from  dear   Louis  from  Constantinople,  giving 
the  accounts  of  what  they  did  and  saw  there  until 


232  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

the  29th  ult,  when  they  left  for  Jaffa.  He  seems 
dehghted,  and  very  greatly  interested  with  all  he 
has  seen.  Louis  thought  so  miich  of  the  Sultan's 
English  visit  in  1867,  on  seeing  him  again.  He 
found  him  more  talkative  than  then.  He  saw  also 
several  of  the  suite  who  were  in  England.  They 
went  to  Scutari,  into  the  Black  Sea,  and  visited  all 
in  and  near  Constantinople,  and  on  the  last  day  they 
visited  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  who  had  just  arrived. 
There  is  something  very  funny  in  hearing  of  these 
Royalties,  one  after  another,  all  running  to  the  same 
places.     They  must  bore  the  Sultan  considerably. 

This  journey  will  be  of  great  advantage  to  dear 
Louis,  who  has  never  had  an  opportunity  (through 
marrying  so  young)  of  travelling  like  others. 

This  afternoon  we  went  to  see  poor  Princess  Wal- 
deck.  She  is  still  in  great  grief  at  the  loss  of  her 
eldest  daughter,  who  suffered  so  long,  and  knew  she 
was  dying,  and  bore  her  lot  with  such  resignation 
and  such  goodness.  She  was  only  fifteen  and  a  half, 
I  think. 

I  was  very  much  pleased  to  see  Lord  and  Lady 
Russell  again  the  other  day.  We  hope  to  be  able 
to  pay  them  a  visit  at  San  Remo,  though  one  can't 
go  and  return  in  the  same  day. 

The  country  has  looked  too  lovely  to-day  ;  the 
sunset  is  always  most  beautiful,  for  it  sets  behind  the 
Esterel  Mountains,  which  lie  to  the  right  from  this 
bay,  and  have  a  very  lovely  jagged  form. 

I  am  reading  to  Vicky  a  new  Life  of  Napoleon, 
by  Lanfrey,  which  is  very  well  and  impartially 
written. 

Cannes,  December  14th. 

*  *  *  The  heavenly  blue  sea,  stretching  so 
far  and  wide,  is  in  accordance  with  one's  feelings, 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  233 

and  the  beauties  of  nature  have  always  something 
comforting'  and  soothing",     *     *     * 

The  Duke  of  Argyll's  sister,  with  his  pretty 
daughter,  Victoria,  are  here,  and  we  have  been  twice 
to  see  them,  and  are  distressed  that  they  should  be  so 
anxious  about  the  dear  Duchess,  of  whom  the  news 
to-day  is  worse.  How  dreadful,  should  any  thing 
happen  to  her,  for  her  husband  and  for  the  many 
children  ! 

The  Eburys  and  Lord  Dalhousie  have  likewise 
arrived  here,  but  we  have  not  seen  them  yet. 

To-morrow  we  had  intended  leaving  this,  but 
during  the  night  poor  Vicky  had  the  dreadful  fright 
of  Waldie's  being  taken  ill  with  the  croup.  Thank 
God,  he  is  better  this  morning,  but  our  journey  will 
have  to  be  put  off  for  a  few  days,  so  that  Vicky  can- 
not now  reach  Berlin  in  time  for  Christmas.  As  we 
don't  wish  to  spend  that  day  cti  route,  we  have  tele- 
graphed to  our  husbands,  who  reach  Naples  to-day, 
to  ask  whether  they  will  not  join  us  here,  that  we 
may  all  spend  Christmas  together  before  leaving. 

This  is  all  unsettled,  and  I  will  telegraph  as  soon 
as  every  thing  is  definitely  arranged.  Rollet  *  is 
here  to-day,  and  spends  this  day  in  quiet  with  us. 

Cannes,  December  20lh. 

We  both  had  the  happiness  yesterday  of  receiv- 
ing our  dear  husbands  safe  and  well  here  after  so 
long  a  separation.  They  had  been  to  Naples  and 
Pompeii,  and  Louis  went  for  a  day  to  Rome,  so  that 
he  has  seen  an  enormous  deal,  which  is  very  in- 
structive for  him,  and  will  be  such  a  pleasure  for 
him  to  look  back  upon  in  later  years. 

I  am  so  glad  that  Louis  has  had  the  opportunity 

*  Madame  Rollande,  formerly  the  Princess'  French  governess. 


234  PJ^nVCESS  ALICE. 

of  making  this  journey  ;  and  it  seems  to  have  done 
his  health  good  also,  for  he  looks  very  well. 

The  journey  back  is  so  long-  and  difficult  for  me 
to  manage  alone  with  Louis — as  Vicky's  people, 
particularly  in  the  nursery,  have  helped  mine — that 
I  am  obliged  to  wait  until  the  26th,  and  to  go  with 
Vicky  and  Fritz,  for  they  travel  slower  than  I  would 
do  if  I  went  with  Louis,  who  goes  back  direct  day 
and  night.  The  doctor  would  not  consent  to  my 
travelling  with  Ernie  from  this  warm  climate  into 
the  great  cold  so  fast,  and  during  the  night,  for  he  is 
cutting  four  back  teeth  at  this  moment. 

The  day  before  yesterday  we  visited  Lord  Dal- 
housie  and  Lady  Christian,  and  found  him  very 
gouty,  but  in  good  spirits.  Lady  Ebury  and  Oggie* 
came  to  see  us  this  afternoon.  Prince  and  Princess 
Frederic  of  the  Netherlands  and  their  daughter  have 
arrived  here.  The  poor  Princess  is  so  weak,  and 
looks  like  a  shadow. 

Hotel  du  Jura,  Dijon,  December  28th. 
Just  as  we  were  leaving  Cannes  your  last 
letter  reached  me,  for  which  many  thanks.  It  was 
cold  the  morning  we  left  Cannes,  very  cold  at 
Avignon,  where  we  spent  the  night,  and  still  colder, 
and  snow  and  frost,  on  reaching  this  place  yesterday 
evening.  We  and  the  children  are  all  well,  and  the 
poor  little  ones  are  very  good  on  the  journey,  con- 
sidering all  things.  In  an  hour  we  leave  for  Paris, 
rest  there  to-morrow,  and  then  go  to  Cologne,  where 
I  shall  take  leave  of  dear  Vicky  and  Fritz,  and  go 
straight  home.  I  have  been  so  much  with  dear  Vicky 
this  year,  that  the  thought  of  parting  from  her  costs 
me  a  great  pang,  the  more  so  as  I  do  not  think  it 
likely  that  I  shall  meet  her  in  this  new  year. 

*  Miss  Grosvenor,  Lady  Ebury's  daughter. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  235 

On  New  Year's  eve  I  arrange  a  Christmas-tree 
for  all  my  children,  and  in  advance  I  thank  you  for 
all  the  presents  you  have  been  kind  enough  to  send 
us,  and. which  we  shall  find  at  Darmstadt.     *     *     * 


1870. 


At  the  beginning  of  this  year,  and  soon  after  his 
return  from  the  East,  Prince  Louis  was  laid  up  with 
scarlet-fever,  and,  soon  after.  Princess  Victoria  and 
the  little  Prince  took  the  same  illness.  Though  the 
attack  was  a  sevefe  one,  ajl  made  a  good  recovery, 
and  no  ill  effects  remained  behind.  Princess  Alice 
undertook  the  nursing  entirely  herself.  During  this 
time  of  enforced  seclusion  from  the  social  world  her 
intercourse  with  the  famous  writer  and  theologian, 
David  Friedrich  Strauss,  was  a  source  to  her  of  great 
interest  and  enjoyment. 

The  Princess  became  acquainted  with  this  remark- 
able man  in  the  autumn  of  1868  at  her  own  particular 
desire,  and  after  considerable  hesitation  on  his  part. 
Strauss  had  spent  the  winter  of  1866  at  Darmstadt. 
He  returned  there  again  in  the  spring  of  1868,  and 
remained  there  until  the  autumn  of  1872.  His  own 
account  of  his  acquaintance  with  the  Princess  was  by 
her  wish  not  published  at  the  time,  but  has  been 
since,  with  the  consent  of  his  family  and  that  of  the 
Grand  Duke.  P'rom  this  the  following  narrative  is 
taken  almost  verbatim  : 

"  Although  I  was  entirely  unaccustomed  to  asso- 


236  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

ciate  with  persons  of  hiq-h  rank,  I  soon  felt  entirely 
at  ease  with  this  lady.  Her  simplicity,  the  kind  man- 
ner in  which  she  met  me.  and  her  keen  bright  intel- 
lect made  me  forget  all  differences  of  social  position." 

Strauss  visited  the  Princess  very  often,  and  their 
conversations  lasted  sometimes  for  hours.  He  him- 
self speaks  of  them  as  "  most  delightful  and  re- 
freshing-." 

Very  often  they  read  aloud,  and  this  no  doubt  led 
to  a  suggestion  from  Strauss,  that  he  should  write 
down  notes  about  Voltaire — whose  works  they  were 
studying — and  afterward  read  them  to  the  Princess. 
She  entered  readily  into  this  plan.  "  Her  idea  was 
to  have  a  select  circle  of  listeners.  Besides  herself 
and  one  of  her  ladies,  with  whom  she  was  very  in- 
timate. Prince  Louis,  and  the  English  Minister  then 
at  Darmstadt,  Mr.  [now  Sir  Robert]  Morier,  were 
to  be  present."  The  illness  of  Prince  Louis  pre- 
vented this  plan  from  being  carried  out. 

"She,  however,  asked  me,"  Strauss  writes,  "  to 
come  and  see  her,  if  I  was  not  afraid  of  infection. 
She  said  that  the  next  few  weeks  would  be  very  soli- 
tary ones,  and  it  would  be  of  great  value  to  her  if  I 
felt  disposed  to  put  up  with  her  as  sole  audience  for 
my  lectures  on  Voltaire.  To  this  I  was  only  too 
willing  to  agree." 

The  manuscript  took  the  form  of  seven  lectures, 
and  the  author  was  rewarded  for  his  pains  "  by  the 
keen  interestand  unwavering  attention  of  his  listener." 

After  repeated  revisions,  the  printing  of  the  work 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  237 

on  Voltaire  began.     Strauss  gives  his  own  account 
of  this  in  the  follgwing  extract : — 

"When  it  first  occurred  to  me  to  write  something 
on  Voltaire  for  the  Princess  in  the  form  of  lectures,  I 
naturally  cherished  the  hope  that,  when  the  little 
book  was  printed,  I  might  obtain  her  permission 
to  dedicate  it  to  her.  As  the  work  progressed,  how- 
ever, this  hope  became  fainter,  and  by  the  time  the 
book  was  ready  I  had  entirely  given  it  up. 

"  I  could  only  take  pleasure  in  my  work,  if  I  felt 
I  had  been  perfectly  sincere  ;  if,  instead  of  condemn- 
ing Voltaire,  as  is  usually  the  case,  I  stood  up  for 
him  upon  essential  points — nay,  even  went  so  far  as 
to  intimate  that  here  and  there  he  had  seemed  to  me 
not  to  have  gone  far  enough. 

"  The  Princess  might  naturally  have  scruples 
about  allowing  a  book  of  such  a  tendency  to  be 
dedicated  to  her,  considering  her  position  and  what 
was  due  to  it ;  and  to  ask  her  to  allow  the  book  to 
be  dedicated  to  her  seemed  forbidden  by  that  dis- 
cretion which  I  was  bound  to  observe.  The  thought 
then  struck  me  of  writing  with  my  own  hand  into 
the  copy  of  the  book  which  I  gave  her  the  Dedica- 
tion, in  the  terms  in  which  it  now  stands  printed  on 
the  second  page  of  the  volume.  Meanwhile,  on  the 
one  hand,  the  friendly  intercourse  with  the  Princess 
continued,  whilst  on  the  other  the  printing  of  the 
book  advanced.  One  day  in  the  most  kind  manner 
she  told  me  how  much  she  felt  she  owed  to  our  ac- 
quaintance, and  how  much  it  had  helped  to  clear  her 
views  in  many  ways.  I,  on  my  part,  expressed  to 
her  in  all  sincerity  the  animating  and  exhilarating 
influence  which  our  intercourse  had  exercised  upon 
myself,  and,  in  particular,  how  it  had  cheered  and 
encouraged  me  in  my  labors  on  Voltaire. 


238  PJ?INCESS  ALICE. 

"  *  It  would  be  nice,  if  you  would  dedicate  your 
book  to  me,'  the  Princess  rejoined.  How  agreeably 
surprised  I  was  can  easily  be  imagined.  I  acknowl- 
edged without  hesitation  how  this  had  been  my  first 
intention,  but  that  I  had  given  it  up  out  of  regard 
for  her,  not  wishing  to  expose  her  to  misinterpreta- 
tion. The  Princess  replied  that  the  fear  of  being 
misunderstood  would  never  prevent  her  from  doing 
what  she  thought  right.  I  pointed  out,  that  the 
matter  must  be  well  and  carefully  considered,  and 
that,  first  and  foremost,  she  must  obtain  her  hus- 
band's consent.  Her  answer  was  that  she  had  no 
fear  on  that  point ;  but  that  she  would  of  course 
consult  him  about  it.  I  told  the  Princess  that  I  had 
made  several  changes  and  additions  since  I  first 
wrote  the  lectures.  I  would  therefore  bring  her  the 
proof-sheets  as  soon  as  they  were  ready,  partly  that 
she  might  glance  over  the  whole  again,  and  partly 
that  she  might  draw  the  Prince's  attention  to  any 
doubtful  passages.  They  would  then  be  able  to 
form  their  own  opinions. 

"  I  sent  her  the  proof-sheets,  and  received  them 
back  from  the  Princess  on  the  iith  of  June,  1870, 
with  the  following  letter  : 

"  '  Dear  Herr  Professor  : — I  return  you  your 
"  Voltaire  "  with  many  thanks.  My  husband  read 
through  the  fifth  chapter  of  it  yesterday  ;  he  does 
not  think  that  its  contents  are  such  as  to  justify  my 
refusing  the  dedication.  The  value  which  I  place  on 
the  dedication  of  your  book  will  always  be  far 
greater  than  any  little  unpleasantness  which  might 
possibly  arise  from  my  accepting  it.  Alice.' 

"  The  dedication  was  thus  unqualifiedly  accepted, 
but  now — in  what  words  should  I  put  it  ?     I  had 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  239 

got  accustomed  to  the  form  in  which  I  had  meant  to 
write  it  myself  into  the  copy  I  wished  to  present  to 
the  Princess.  I  ititended  saying  that  I  had  written 
lectures,  for  the  Princess,  and  that  she  had  allowed 
me  to  read  them  aloud  to  her.  Would  not  this 
make  the  Princess,  so  to  speak,  an  accomplice  of 
this  objectionable  book  ?  Could  I  state  this  pub- 
licly ?  I  felt  myself  bound  to  leave  to  the  Princess 
the  choice  between  this  dedication  and  a  more  formal 
one,  in  which  these  allusions  were  omitted.  Upon 
this  the  Princess  sent  me  the  following  answer: 

"  '  I  should  not  like  any  change  made  in  what  you 
have  written  on  the  first  page,  and  am  greatly 
touched  at  your  kind  dedication.  Alice.' 

"  When  I  was  at  last  able  to  send  her  my  book 
in  its  complete  form  with  the  dedication  printed,  I 
received  the  following  note  from  her,  written  from 
Kranichstein,  on  the  27th  of  June,  1870  : 

"  '  I  have  not  been  able  till  to-day  to  thank  you 
for  your  "Voltaire"  received  yesterday.  The  book 
itself  is  the  cause  of  the  delay,  as  I  devoted  my 
spare  time  to  reading  over  v/hat  you  had  yourself 
read  to  me  so  beautifully  last  winter.  I  seemed  to 
hear  your  voice  and  all  your  observations  again.  I 
must  thank  you  once  more  for  that  great  enjoyment, 
and  for  the  kind  terms  of  your  dedication. 

"  '  Alice.' 

"  Seldom  have  the  negotiations  about  the  dedica- 
tion of  a  book  been  carried  on  in  a  way  like  this, 
and  seldom  has  a  Royal  Princess  shown  herself  so 
courageous  and  amiable." 

». 

All   must  agree   in   this   opinion,  from  whatever 


240  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

point  of  view  they  look  at  the  subject.  It  was  like 
the  Princess'  straightforward  nature  boldly  to  ac- 
knowledge to  the  world  her  friendship  for  Strauss, 
even  at  the  risk  of  incurring  the  most  unfavorable 
criticisms. 

Strauss  says,  further,  in  his  "  Memoirs  " : 

"  The  memory  of  the  Princess  Alice  will  be  insep- 
arably connected,  as  long  as  I  live,  with  one  of  the 
most  gratifying  episodes  of  my  life — the  writing  of 
my  work  on  Voltaire." 

To  this  must  be  added  that  though,  as  time  went 
on,  the  Princess  ao^reed  less  and  less  with  Strauss' 
avowed  religious  views,  and  especially  differed  con- 
siderably from  those  enunciated  in  his  book,  *'  The 
Old  and  the  New  Faith,"  she  never  thought  other- 
wise of  Strauss  than  with  gratitude  and  esteem,  as 
one  in  whom  she  had  met  with  the  most  beautiful 
characteristics  of  the  best  German  scholarship — viz., 
unflinching  sincerity,  combined  with  a  rare  gift  of 
saying  what  it  has  to  say  clearly  and  pleasantly,  and 
a  winning  modesty  of  personal  demeanor. 

In  the  end  of  March  the  Prince  and  Princess  with 
their  family  went  to  Mayence  for  change  of  air  after 
the  scarlet-fever.  The  Princess  went  much  into  so- 
ciety during  her  stay  there  ;  but  this  did  not  prevent 
her  from  making  use  of  every  possible  opportunity 
for  furthering  those  institutions  which  she  had  so 
much  at  heart.  She  visited  the  hospitals  at  Mayence, 
Offenbach,  and  Giessen,  and  had  many  consultations 
with  the  heads  of  these  various  hospitals  with  a  view 
to  possible  improvements. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  IVOHJ^.  24 1 

The  quiet,  happy  time  at  Kranichstein  during  the 
summer  was  suddenly  brought  to  an  end  by  the 
declaration  of  war  between  France  and  Germany. 
Prince  'Louis  had  to  go  to  the  front  with  his  division, 
which,  together  with  another  division,  formed  the 
Ninth  Army  Corps,  and  part  of  the  Second  Army, 
commanded  by  Prince  Frederick  Charles  of  Prussia. 
The  Princess  took  leave  of  her  husband  on  the  2  5th 
of  July.  She,  however,  saw  him  again  once  or  twice 
before  the  final  leave-taking,  on  the  ist  of  August. 

On  the  1 5th  of  August  the  Hessian  division  for 
the  first  time  encountered  the  enemy,  before  Metz, 
and  on  the  i6th  took  part  in  the  batde  of  Mars-la- 
Tour.  During  the  terrible  battle  of  Gravelotte,  on 
the  1 8th  of  August,  Prince  Louis  and  his  division 
occupied  a  central  position  in  the  irresistible  force, 
which  drove  Marshal  Bazaine  back  into  Metz,  and 
held  him  imprisoned  there  with  an  iron  grasp. 

On  the  19th  Prince  Louis  and  the  troops  en- 
camped on  the  battlefield,  and  he  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  his  brother  Henry.  Prince  Louis  took  part 
in  the  battle  of  Noisseville  on  the  31st  of  August, 
when  General  Manteuffel  commanded  the  troops  en- 
gaged. He  and  his  division  also  formed  part  of  the 
army  investing  Metz,  partly  doing  outpost  duty,  and 
partly  serving  in  the  reserve. 

On  the  8th  of  October,  whilst  the  Prince  was  in 
command  of  his  division  at  Gravelotte,  where  the 
troops  were  concentrated  in  hourly  expectation  of  a 
sortie   of  the    French   from    Metz,   he  received   the 


242  FHINCESS  ALICE, 

news  of  the  birth  of  a  second  son,  who  had  been 
born  on  the  7th. 

Ever  since  the  Prince's  departure  the  Princess  had 
remained  "  at  her  post  "  in  Darmstadt,  helping,  com- 
forting, and  advising  all  around  her.  She  was  proud 
to  be  the  wife  of  a  German  officer  serving  in 
the  field  in  such  a  cause,  though  her  life  for  the 
present  was  full  of  anxiety  and  care.  She  worked, 
like  any  other  woman,  to  alleviate  as  best  she  could 
the  sufferings  of  the  sick  and  the  wounded,  and  giving 
aid  to  those  who  were  plunged  into  destitution  by 
the  war.  Whilst  she  was  living  with  her  children  at 
Kranichstein  the  "  Hulfsverein^  or  Committee  of 
Aid,  had  its  headquarters  in  her  palace  at  Darm- 
stadt. She  herself  went  there  every  day,  visited  all 
the  hospitals,  also  the  ambulances  at  the  railway  sta- 
tion, and  superintended  the  organization  of  "  Com- 
mittees of  Aid  "  all  over  the  country.  The  Com- 
mittees which  she  had  organized  long  previously 
now  proved  themselves  an  untold  blessing. 

The  "  Alice  Society  for  Aid  to  Sick  and  Wounded  " 
had  sixteen  trained  nurses  ready  for  work  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  war.  Through  the  voluntary  help  of 
some  of  the  best  doctors  and  surgeons,  who  arranged 
classes  at  different  places  for  the  instruction  of 
all  those  who  were  anxious  to  help  to  nurse  during 
the  war,  the  number  of  nurses  was  increased  by 
degrees  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-four.  These  were 
sent  to  the  different  hospitals  in  Hesse,  to  ambu- 
lances near  Metz,  to  the  hospital  trains,  and  the  hos- 
pitals on  the  steamers. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  243 

In  her  own  palace  the  Princess  arranged  a  depot 
for  all  necessaries  required  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
Later  on  another  was  established  in  the  Grand 
Ducal'  palace.  Besides  the  many  regular  nurses,  a 
number  of  women  and  ladies  joined  together  to 
serve  out  refreshments,  during:  the  nigrht  as  well  as 
the  daytime,  to  the  wounded,  who  were  constantly 
passing  through  Darmstadt  and  halted  at  the  rail- 
way station.  Similar  committees  were,  thanks  to 
the  Princess'  own  initiative,  formed  all  over  the 
country. 

One  of  the  hospitals  at  Darmstadt,  erected  by  the 
English  National  Red  Cross  Society,  and  supplied 
with  English  surgeons,  received  the  name  of  "  The 
Alice  Hospital."  Under  a  special  arrangement  it 
was  subsequently  taken  over  by  the  Hessian  military 
authorities.  In  this  hospital,  as  in  others  established 
independently  of  the  "  Alice  Society,"  women  and 
girls  of  all  classes  lent  their  aid. 

Simultaneously  with  the  aid  to  the  sick  and 
wounded,  those  who  had  been  rendered  widows, 
orphans,  or  destitute  by  the  war  were  cared  for 
through  the  Princess'  exertions  ;  and  "  The  Alice 
Society  for  the  Education  and  Employment  of 
Women  "  did  good  service.  Out  of  this  Society 
sprang  the  "  Alice  Lyceum,"  which  was  intended  for 
the  intellectual  culture  of  women  of  the  higher 
classes.  Lectures  were  to  be  delivered  in  it  on  all 
the  interesting  subjects  of  the  day.  This  Lyceum 
continued  for  some  years  to  attract  a  more  or  less 


244  PR LV CESS  ALICE. 

numerous  audience.  In  the  first  winter  of  its  exist- 
ence lectures  on  English  and  German  Literature,  the 
History  of  Art,  German  History,  and  Natural  His- 
tory were  given.  The  lady  at  the  head  of  it  was 
Fraulein  Louise  Biichner.  Its  subsequent  failure 
was  caused  by  numerous  external  difficulties,  and 
not  because  the  original  idea  for  which  it  had  been 
founded  had  proved  otherwise  than  sound. 

The  little  new-born  Prince  continued  to  thrive, 
and  the  Princess  made  a  comparatively  quick  recov- 
ery. The  Crown  Princess  of  Prussia,  who  was  then 
living  at  Homburg,  came  constantly  to  see  her  sis- 
ter ;  and  later  on,  in  November,  they  went  together 
to  Berlin.  The  christening  of  the  little  Prince,  who 
was  to  bear  the  name  of  the  victorious  general  of 
Weissenburg  and  Worth,  was  deferred  till  his 
father's  return. 

Prince  Louis  had  garrisoned  Fort  St.  Privat  on  the 
29th  of  October,  and  saw  the  173,000  French  pris- 
oners and  Imperial  Guard  pass  before  Prince  Fred- 
erick Charles  of  Prussia. 

On  the  30th  the  troops  marched  farther  into  the 
interior  of  the  country.  Troyes  was  reached  on  the 
loth  of  November,  a  few  days  later  Fontainebleau, 
and  soon  after  the  troops  confronted  the  "  Army  of 
the  Loire"  at  Toury.  The  batde  of  Orleans  took 
place  on  the  3d  and  4th  of  December,  and  on  the 
5th  the  victorious  troops  made  the  entry  into  the 
town.  Part  of  the  Hessian  division  moved  along 
the  left  bank  of  the  Loire,  and  fought  the  engage- 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  245 

ment  of  Montlivault  on  the  9th  of  December  ;  the 
other  part  of  it  surprised  and  took  possession  of  the 
Castle  of  Chambord,  with  five  guns  and  many  pris- 
oners. '  Blois  was  soon  after  taken  ;  and  from  the 
loth  of  December  till  the  14th  of  February,  1871, 
the  headquarters  w^ere  at  Orleans.  During  the  ex- 
pedition against  General  Chanzy  the  Hessian  divi- 
sion alone  guarded  the  line  of  the  Loire  from  Gien  to 

Blois. 

January  8th. 

*  *  *  My  three  girls  have  had  fearful  colds — 
Ella  bronchitis,  which  Ernie  also  took  from  her,  and 
during  twelve  hours  we  were  in  the  very  greatest 
anxiety  about  him  ;  the  difficulty  of  breathing  and 
his  whole  state  caused  great  alarm.  Thank  God,  he 
is  now  quite  convalescent ;  but  those  were  hours  of 
intense  suffering  for  me,  as  you  can  imagine.  Weber 
is  most  attentive  and  most  kind  on  such  occasions, 
and  in  such  moments  one  is  so  dependent  on  the 
doctor. 

'''  *  *  Some  very  good  lectures  have  been 
given  here  lately,  undertaken  by  a  committee,  which 
we  are  at  the  head  of,  and  of  which  Mr.  Morier  is  a 
member.  They  have  been  a  great  success  hitherto, 
and  we  are  going  to  one  to-night  by  Kinkel,  who  in 
1848  was  a  refugee  in  England,  and  is  now  a  profes- 
sor at  Zurich. 

January  i6th. 

Beloved  Mama  : — We  are  very  grateful  for  your 
kind  enquiries,  and  for  your  letter  received  this 
morninof.  The  violence  of  the  fever  and  the  ereat 
pain  in  the  throat  have  abated,  and  dear  Louis  is 
going  on  favorably.  The  nights  are  not  good  as 
yet,  and  his  head  pains  him. 


246  FH  IN  CESS  ALICE. 

I  am  cut  off  from  all  intercourse  with  any  one  in 
the  house,  on  account  of  the  dear  children  ;  and  I 
trust  they  may  escape,  for  they  still  cough,  particu- 
larly Ella  and  Ernie.  I  see  Christa  when  I  am  out 
walking,  not  otherwise,  as  she  comes  in  contact  with 
the  part  of  the  house  where  the  children  live.  I 
read  to  Louis,  and  play  to  him,  as  my  sitting-room 
opens  into  the  bedroom.  I  keep  the  rooms  well 
aired,  and  not  hot,  and  at  night  I  sleep  on  a  sofa 
near  his  bed.  The  first  two  nights  were  anxious 
ones,  and  I  was  up  all  night  alone  with  him  ;  but 
now,  thank  God,  all  seems  to  be  going  well.    *    *    * 

January  20th. 

I  am  happy  to  say  that  all  is  going  on  well.  Louis 
has  no  more  fever,  but  his  throat  is  still  far  from 
well  ;  it  has  still  the  character  of  diphtheria,  though 
in  a  mild  form — a  sort  of  skin  and  bits  of  blood  come 
away  when  he  coughs.  He  is  a  very  good  patient, 
and  I  leave  him  very  litde  alone  save  when  I  take 
my  walks,  which  in  this  high  cold  wind  are  very  un- 
pleasant. I  hear  Ella  is  still  so  hoarse  and  coughs, 
and  Victoria  is  not  quite  well.  Orchard  writes  to 
me  every  evening,  and  Dr.  Weber  sees  them  in  the 
morning  before  he  comes  downstairs. 

This  instant  Weber  tells  me  that  Victoria  has  the 
scarlet-fever,  and  I  have  just  been  up  to  see  her. 
She  suffers  very  much,  poor  child  ;  the  fever  is  very 
high  and  the  rash  much  out.  It  is  too  late  now  to 
separate  the  others,  and  those  who  are  not  predis- 
posed will  escape  ;  but  those  who  are  inclined  to 
take  it  have  it  in  them  by  this  time. 

It  is  a  source  of  great  anxiety.  Orchard  and 
Emma  have  never  had  it.     *     *     * 

January  23d. 

I  was  very  glad  to  get  your  dear  lines  of  the  2 2d, 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  IVOJ^A'.  247 

full  of  sympathy  for  me  during  this  anxious  time. 
Victoria's  fever  has  been  very  high  ;  and  so  much 
discomfort  and  pain,  with  a  dreadful  cough,  which 
she  has"  had  for  the  last  six  weeks.  She  is  very  low, 
and  cries  every  now  and  then  from  weakness,  etc., 
but  is  a  very  good  patient,  poor  little  one.  Ame- 
lung  comes  every  afternoon  and  sits  with  her,  and 
she  is  a  great  favorite  with  the  children,  as  she 
knows  countless  pretty  stories. 

Louis  is  not  out  of  bed  yet,  on  account  of  his 
throat,  etc. ;  but  he  is  much  better,  though  in  this 
treacherous  climate,  which  is  so  proverbially  bad  for 
throats  and  lungs,  I  fear  that  even  with  the  greatest 
care  there  is  a  risk. 

The  other  children  are  as  yet  well,  though  I  don't 
think  Ella  looking  well ;  she  has  still  a  cold,  and  is 
as  hoarse  as  when  I  came  home.  Ernie  is  all 
ricrht  ag-ain,  and  looks  the  best  of  them  all.  I  doubt 
their  escaping,  though  it  is  quite  possible,  as  they 
did  not  take  it  when  Victoria  did.  I  keep  the 
rooms  fresh  and  continually  aired. 

All  the  balls  and  parties  are  going  on  here  now. 
Of  course,  I  can  neither  go  anywhere  nor  receive 
any  one,  on  account  of  the  infection.  It  is  a  weari- 
some time  indeed,  and  being  so  much  in  sick  rooms 
and  so  little  out  begins  to  tell  upon  me.  How  kind 
of  you  to  send  the  books!  Louis  will  be  delighted. 
I  have  just  read  to  him  Russell's  book  of  Bertie  and 
Alix's  journey,  and  am  now  reading  to  him  a  new 
Life  of  Napoleon,  by  Lanfrey,  which  is  very  well 
written — more  against  than  for  Napoleon.  Of 
course,  newspapers  and  the  Revue  dcs  Deux-Mondes 
I  read  to  him  besides.     *     *     * 

January  31st. 

*     *     *     Though  dear  baby  has  had  two  bad, 


248  FHIiVCESS  ALICE. 

restless  nights,  yet  I  am  happy  to  say  that  he  has 
the  iHness  so  slightly,  with  so  little  fever  or  sore 
throat,  that  we  are  in  great  hopes  it  will  get  no 
worse.  He  is  cutting  his  back  teeth  just  now,  which 
is  the  worse  moment  possible  to  be  ill  in. 

Victoria  looks  very  hollow-eyed,  pale,  and 
wretched,  poor  darling,  but  is  in  good  spirits  now. 
The  other  two  are  as  yet  free.  The  weather  is  most 
beautiful — frosty  and  clear, — and  I  have  been  skat- 
ing daily  for  the  last  six  days,  which  does  me  much 
good,  and  enables  me  to  see  people  again.  This 
afternoon  I  have  a  large  party  on  the  ice  at  Kranich- 
stein,  and  this  is  always  a  great  amusement  to  the 
young  people.     *     '"'■     * 

Mayence,  April  loth. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  evening  we  had  to  give  a 
large  party  here,  half  to  the  military,  and  the  other 
to  the  civil  authorities  and  to  the  Burger  [citizens]. 
It  went  off"  well  ;  but  the  amount  of  speaking,  as  one 
must  speak  to  all,  and  the  effort  to  remember  who 
they  all  were — they  having  been  all  presented  at 
once — was  no  small  exertion.     *     *     * 

Mayence,  April  15th. 

*  *  *  Lady  Car.  [Barrington]  wrote  to  me 
how  very  grateful  Mrs.  Grey  was  to  you  for  your 
great  kindness  and  consideration.*  In  trouble  no 
one  can  have  a  more  true  and  sympathizing  friend 
than  my  beloved  Mama  always  is.  How  many 
hearts  has  she  not  gained  by  this,  and  how  many  a 
poor  sufferer's  burdens  has  she  not  lightened  I  *  *  * 

April  25th. 
Thousand  thanks   for  your  dear  loving  lines !     I 
kissed   them   a  thousand   times,  and  thank  you  so 

*  General  Grey,  Her  Majesty's  private  secretary  had  recently  died. 


i 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  249 

much  for  the  quite  lovely  statuette — a  little  gem, 
which  every  one  has  been  admiring  this  morning. 
The  shawl  and  Ifttle  ornament  gave  me  also  great 
pleasure,  and  the  colored  photographs  of  the  rooms 
— in  short,  all  and  any  thing  from  such  dear  hands 
must  give  pleasure.     *     ^     * 

June  25th. 

*  *  *  I  am  proud  of  my  two  girls,  for  they 
are  warm-hearted  and  gifted,  too,  in  appearance. 
Victoria's  facility  in  learning  is  wonderful,  and  her 
lessons  are  her  delight.  Her  English  history  and 
reading  she  has  learned  from  me.  I  give  her  a 
lesson  daily,  and  Bauerlein  *  can  tell  you  how  much 
she  has  learned.     '^'     "*     * 

I  read  a  great  deal,  chiefly  history  and  deeper 
works  ;  and  I  have  one  ortwo  very  learned  acquaint- 
ances with  whom  to  read  or  to  have  books  recom- 
mended by. 

My  two  committees  always  give  me  no  end  of 
work,  and  I  have  tried  to  have  many  improvements 
made  in  the  girls'  schools  of  the  different  classes  ; 
and  some  of  these  things,  by  dint  of  a  deal  of  trouble, 
are  prospering,  and  I  hope  in  time  to  come  will 
prove  their  worth.  There  is  a  great  deal  to  be 
done,  and  in  the  hospitals  I  have  been  able  to  get 
some  very  necessary  changes  made.  I  tell  you  all 
this,  fancying  it  may  perhaps  interest  you  a  little 
bit.     *     *     * 

July  2d. 

How  grieved  I  am  for  your  sake,  above  all,  and 
for  the  poor  Clarks  and  ourselves,  that  dear  kind  Sir 
James,  that  true  fatherly  friend,  is  no  more  ! !  Many 
thanks  for  your  last  letter,  which  tells  me  of  your 
last  visit  to  him,  which  I  am   sure   must  be   a  great 

*  Miss  Bauer  the  German  governess  of  the  Royal  family. 


250  PJi/NCESS  ALICE. 

comfort  to  you.  Oh !  how  sad  to  think  how  many 
are  gone  !  And  for  you,  dear  Mama,  this  is  quite 
dreadful.     I  can't  say  how  I  feel  it  for  you  ! 

Lord  Clarendon's  death  grieves  me  much  also  ; 
and  it  was  so  sudden.  Alice  Skelmersdale  wrote  to 
me  in  the  greatest  distress  ;  he  had  been  a  most 
loving  father. 

In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death  ;  and  in  our 
quiet  and  solitary  existence  out  here,  where  we  see 
no  one,  all  accords  with  sad  and  serious  feelings, 
which,  amidst  the  many  people  and  worry  you  live 
in,  must  jar  with  such  feelings  and  make  you  wish 
for  solitude.  The  accounts  you  give  touch  me  so 
much.  Many  thanks  for  having  written  so  much 
about  dear  Sir  James  ;  it  is  of  great  value  to  me. 
Louis  begs  me  to  say,  how  he  shares  the  grief 
you  all  and  we  must  feel  at  such  a  loss. 

What  you  say  about  the  education  of  our  girls  I 
entirely  agree  with,  and  I  strive  to  bring  them  up  to- 
tally free  from  pride  of  their  position,  which  is  nothing 
save  what  their  personal  worth  can  make  it.  I  read 
it  to  the  governess — who  quite  enters  into  -all  my 
wishes  on  that  subject — thinking  how  good  it  would 
be  for  her  to  hear  your  opinion.  *  *  *  I  feel  so  en- 
tirely as  you  do  on  the  difference  of  rank,  and  how 
all  important  it  is  for  princes  and  princesses  to  know 
that  they  are  nothing  better  or  above  others,  save 
through  their  own  merit ;  and  that  they  have  only 
the  double  duty  of  living  for  others  and  of  being  an 
example — good  and  modest.  This  I  hope  my  child- 
ren will  grow  up  to. 

July  26th. 

When  I  returned  home  last  night  really  heart- 
broken, after  having  parted  from  my  good  and  ten- 
derly-loved Louis,  I  found  your  dear  sympathizing 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  25  I 

words,  and  I  thank  you  a  thousand  times  for  them — 
they  were  a  comfort  and  pleasure  to  me  I  I  parted 
with  dear  Louis  late  in  the  evening,  on  the  high  road 
outside  the  village  in  which  he  was  quartered  for  the 
night,  and  we  looked  back  until  nothing  more  was  to 
be  seen  of  each  other.  May  the  Almighty  watch 
over  his  precious  life,  and  bring  him  safe  back  again: 
all  the  pain  and  anxiety  are  forgotten  and  willingly 
borne  if  he  is  only  left  to  me  and  to  his  children! 

It  is  an  awful  time,  and  the  provocation  of  a  war 
such  as  this  a  crime  that  will  have  to  be  answered 
for,  and  for  which  there  can  be  no  justification. 
Everywhere  troops  and  peasants  are  heard  singing 
•*  Die  Wacht  am  Rhein  "  and  "  Was  ist  des  Deut- 
schen  Vaterland?"  and  there  is  a  feeling  of  unity 
and  standing  by  each  other,  forgetting  all  party  quar- 
rels, which  makes  one  proud  of  the  name  of  German. 
All  women  feel  ashamed  of  complaining,  when 
father,  husband,  or  son  goes,  and  so  many  as  volun- 
teers in  the  ranks.  This  war  is  felt  to  be  national, 
and  that  the  Kincr  had  no  other  course  left  him  to 
pursue  with  honor. 

I  must  be  in  town  by  nine  o'clock  :  so  much  rests 
on  me,  and  there  are  so  many  to  help — the  poor  for- 
saken soldiers'  families  amongst  others !  I  have 
seen  that  all  is  ready  to  receive  the  wounded,  and  to 
send  out  help.  I  send  out  fourteen  nurses  for  the 
Feld-Lazarcthe   [field-hospitals]. 

How  much  I  feel  for  you  now,  for  I  know  how 
truly  you  must  feel  for  Germany  ;  and  all  know 
that  every  good  thing  England  does  for  Germany, 
and  every  evil  she  wards  off"  her,  is  owing  to  your 
wisdom  and  experience,  and  to  your  true  and  just 
feelings.  You  would,  I  am  sure,  be  pleased  to  hear 
how  universally  this  is  recognized  and  appreciated. 


252  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

What  would  beloved  Papa  have  thought  of  this 
war?  The  unity  of  Germany,  which  it  has  brought 
about,  would  please  him,  but  never  the  shocking 
means ! 

July  28th. 

My  darling  Louis  is  at  Worms,  and  Henry  just  in 
front  of  him.  The  enthusiasm  all  alone  the  Rhine 
is  wonderful.  They  are  all  hopeful,  though  knowing 
well  what  enormous  sacrifices  and  struggles  a  victory 
will  cost. 

I  cannot  leave  this  place  until  our  troops  should 
have — which  God  prevent ! — to  retreat,  and  the 
French  come !  Now  is  the  moment  when  a  panic 
might  overcome  the  people  ;  and  I  think  it  my  duty 
to  remain  at  my  post,  as  it  gives  the  people  courage 
and  confidence.  My  parents-in-law,  who  have  their 
three  sons  out,  would  feel  my  absence,  and  they 
have  the  first  claim  on  me.  I  am  in  beloved  Louis' 
home,  and  nearer  to  him,  if  I  remain.  Of  course, 
with  dear  Vicky  I  should  personally  be  far  better  off. 
But  Fritz  is  not  much  exposed,  and  she  has  not  that 
fearful  anxiety  to  such  an  amount  as  I  have  for  dear 
Louis,  who,  as  commander  of  only  a  division,  must 
be  in  the  very  midst  of  all.  Day  and  night  this 
thought  is  uppermost  in  my  mind.  I  hope  and  pray 
for  the  best,  and  bear  what  is  sent  to  me  in  com- 
mon with  so  many  others.  Work  is  a  Zerstre2iung 
[distraction],  and  I  know  dear  Louis  would  prefer 
knowing  me  here  for  the  present,  and  that  must  be 
the  first  consideration  to  determine  my  actions. 

Louis  is  well,  and,  now  the  dreadful  parting  is 
over,  I  am  sure  in  better  spirits,  though  work  and 
anxiety  weigh  on  him,  poor  love. 

The  children  send  their  love.  I  am  pretty  well  ; 
able  to  do  a  great  deal  ;  headache  and  sleeplessness 
are  but  natural  at  this  moment. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  253 

August  5th. 

Arrived  in  our  house  this  morning,  I  was  received 
with  the  news  of  dear  Fritz'  victory,  and  that  5oo 
French  prisoners  had  just  passed  through  here  by 
rail.  I  know  none  of  ours  can  have  been  engaged, 
but  we  have  not  heard  if  there  was  an  engagement 
elsewhere.  The  excitement  and  anxiety  are  quite 
dreadful !  Please  God,  my  darling  is  safe,  and  will 
pass  safely  through  these  dreadful  dangers — and  our 
many  dear  friends  and  acquaintances  also  !  I  am 
always  sending  off  things  for  the  wounded  from  our 
stores,  and  continue  working  and  collecting,  and  all 
are  most  patriotic  and  united.  It  is  a  solemn  and 
ereat  time  we  live  in,  and  there  is  somethinfj  orand 
and  elevating  in  the  unity  of  high  and  low  through- 
out this  great  nation,  which  makes  one  proud  of  be- 
longing to  it.     If  only  all  goes  on  well ! 

I  am  very  sleepless,  and  never  without  headache, 
but  one  has  neither  time  nor  wish  to  think  of  one's 
self.  My  own  Louis'  safety  is  the  all-engrossing 
thought;  and  I  know,  beloved  Mama,  that  you  love 
him  truly,  and  share  this  anxiety  with  me.     *      *     '^' 

August  15th. 
A  few  words  by  messenger.  I  have  sent  a  letter 
by  Kanne,  who  came  here  yesterday,  having  seen 
dear  Louis  the  day  before,  which  was  the  first  direct 
news  I  have  had  from  him.  Yesterday  morning  he 
was  at  F'aulquemont.  Poor  General  von  Manstein 
(our  Chef),  when  he  reached  Saarbriick,  found  his 
son  had  been  killed,  and  he  had  him  taken  out  of 
the  general  grave  and  buried  in  the  churchyard. 
■^^  *  *  No  less  than  forty  French  wounded  I  saw 
this  morning  in  our  hospital,  with  some  Turcos. 
Some  can't  sj)eak  in  any  known  language,  and  the 
French  dislike  havinir  these  savaores  near  them  as 


254  FJiliVCESS  ALICE. 

much  as  we  do  ;  their  physiognomies  are  horrid, 
and  they  steal  and  murder  as  Handwerk  [their  voca- 
tion]. 

So  much  going  about — for  I  go  to  Darmstadt  at 
half-past  eight,  and  remain  till  half-past  eleven,  in 
the  morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  from  five  till 
eight — is  getting  very  fatiguing  to  me  ;  but  the 
people  have  no  time  to  come  out  here,  and  there  is 
much  to  see  to,  and  many  to  speak  with. 

August  19th. 

I  have  tried  to  write  as  often  as  I  could,  but  I 
have  only  two  hours  to  myself  during  the  whole 
day,  through  driving  in  here  twice  a  day.  Besides 
the  large  Hiilfsverein  for  the  "  wounded  and  sick," 
which  is  in  our  palace,  I  have  daily  to  visit  the  four 
hospitals.  There  is  very  much  to  do  ;  we  are  so 
near  the  seat  of  war.  This  morning  we  got  two 
large  wagons  ready  and  sent  off  for  Pont-a-Mousson, 
where  they  telegraph  from  the  battlefield  of  the  i6th 
they  are  in  great  want.  My  best  nurses  are  out 
there  ;  the  others  are  in  three  hospitals  :  two  of 
them — military  ones — were  not  ready  or  organized 
when  i5o  wounded  arrived  a  week  ago.  I  have  just 
had  a  telegram  from  dear  Louis  ;  he  is  well,  and  I 
hope  in  a  day  or  two  the  least  dangerously  of  the 
Hessian  wounded  will  arrive. 

Thank  God,  all  goes  on  successfully  ;  but,  indeed, 
I  hope  I  shall  not  live  to  see  another  such  war — it  is 
too  shocking  by  far.  We  have  over  five  hundred 
wounded  ;  as  soon  as  any  are  better,  they  are  sent 
north,  and  worse  ones  fill  the  beds — French  and 
German  intermixed.  I  neither  see  nor  smell  any 
thing  else  but  wounds  !  and  the  first  Anblick  [sight], 
which  sometimes  one  does  not  escape  meeting,  is 
very  shocking  !     It  was  very  late  last  night  before  I 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  255 

got  home.  I  was  stopped  at  one  of  the  hospitals,  as 
a  poor  soldier  had  had  sudden  violent  bleeding, 
and  was  all  but  dead,  as  the  doctor  could  not  find 
the  artery  ;  but  I  sent  my  carriage  for  another  sur- 
geon, and  I  am  happy  to  say  he  lives  and  is  recov- 
ering. 

As  Louis  commands  the  whole  of  our  little  army, 
a  great  many  things  concerning  the  troops  come  to 
me  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  there  is  much 
to  do — much  more  than  in  my  present  state  is  good 
for  me  ;  but  it  can't  be  helped. 

I  drive  back  to  Kranichstein  by  one  daily,  and  am 
here  again  before  five,  so  I  hope  you  will  kindly  for- 
give my  writing  seldomer.  Becker  is  engrossed  with 
his  duties  at  the  Hiilfsverein  ;  there  is  no  other  gen- 
tleman with  me,  and  I  have  the  household  to  look 
after,  besides. 

August  20th. 

My  telegram  will  have  told  you  that  dear  Louis  is 
until  now  safe.  On  the  i6th,  in  the  evening,  and  on 
the  17th  and  i8th,  our  troops  were  engaged,  and 
yesterday  evening  late  I  drove  to  the  station,  to 
speak  to  General  Kehrer,  our  commandant,  and 
received  a  telegram  of  the  last  victory,  near  Metz — 
a  battle  of  nine  hours,  very  bloody — no  mention  of 
names.  The  people,  all  excited,  crowded  round  my 
carriaije,  asked  for  news — which  of  our  resfiments 
had  been  under  fire  ?  I  could  tell  them  nothing, 
but  pacified  them,  begging  them  to  go  to  their 
homes — they  should  hear  as  soon  as  I  had  news.  I 
drove  home  with  an  aching  heart,  and  passed  a 
dreadful  night  of  suspense.  At  six  this  morning  a 
telegram  from  Louis  (19th) ;  he  and  his  two  brothers 
safe  ;  our  loss  enormous — seventy  officers  out  of 
one  division  (ours  is  the  2  5th),  and  Oberlieutenant 


256  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Moller,  a  great  favorite,  his  adjutant  since  1866,  very 
badly  wounded.  I  went  at  once  to  Darmstadt  to 
Louis'  parents.  They  were  so  overcome  and  thank- 
ful to  hear  of  the  safety  of  their  children.  This  con- 
tinual anxiety  is  fearful.  Now  to-day  all  the  poor 
wives,  mothers,  sisters,  come  to  me  for  news  of  their 
relations ;  it  is  heart-rending !  We  sent  off  two 
large  wagon-loads  to  Pont-a-Mousson  again  with 
provisions,  bandages,  and  medicaments,  and  mat- 
tresses to  bring  back  all  the  wounded  possible  by 
rail.  I  went  the  round  of  the  hospital,  to  have  all 
the  convalescent  Prussians  and  French  able  to  travel 
sent  to  their  homes,  so  as  to  get  room,  and  now  we 
can  await  the  sad  arrivals.  Oh,  if  it  would  but  end  ! 
the  misery  of  thousands  is  too  awful ! 

Kranichstein,  August  25th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  dear  words  of  the  20th. 
God  knows,  I  have  suffered  much,  and  the  load  of 
anxiety  is  great !  But  thousands  of  Germans  bear 
this  load  in  unity  together  for  their  Fatherland,  and 
none  murmur.  Yesterday  a  poor  woman  came  to  me 
to  ask  me  to  help  her  to  get  to  the  battlefield,  to  have 
the  body  of  her  only  son  looked  for  and  brought 
home  ;  and  she  was  so  resigned  and  patient. 

I  see  daily,  in  all  classes,  so  much  grief  and  suffer- 
ing ;  so  many  acquaintances  and  friends  have  fallen  ! 
It  is  heart-rending  I  I  ought  to  be  very  proud  \^ow^, 
and  I  am  so,  too,  to  hear  from  the  mouths  of  so 
many  wounded  officers  the  loud  praise  of  Louis' 
great  bravery  on  the  i6th  and  i8th.  Always  in 
front,  encouraging  his  men  where  the  battle  raged 
fiercest  and  the  balls  fell  thickest.  He  was  near  our 
troops,  speaking  to  them,  directing  them,  and  right 
and  left  of  him  they  fell  in  masses.  This  lasted 
eieht  hours  ! 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  2$ "J 

*  *  *  Hourly  almost  the  trains  bring"  in  fresh 
wounded,  and  many  and  shockinof  are  the  sicrhts  one 
sees.  I  only  returned  here  by  one,  having  gone  to 
town  at- half-past  eight  this  morning,  and  have  still 
three  hospitals  for  this  afternoon. 

My  nurses  reached  the  battlefield  in  time,  and 
were  of  great  use.  Louis  telegraphed  (yesterday's 
date)  from  Auboue,  between  Thionville  and  Metz, 
where  they  remain  in  bivouac.  *  =;:  *  It  jg  tg^ 
days  since  Louis  has  been  in  a  bed  or  under  a  roof. 
They  have  no  water  (it  is  kept  for  the  wounded), 
and  little  to  eat,  but  he  is  very  well. 

It  is  difficult  to  get  news,  and  I  can  never  send 
any  that  is  not  mostly  ten  days  old  ere  it  reaches 
him. 

August  26th. 

*  *  *  I  had  a  telegram  on  the  2  5th  from  near 
Marengo,  not  far  from  Metz — all  well.  Louis  has 
not  been  in  bed  or  under  a  roof  since  the  i6th,  and 
it  rains  incessantly.  I  hope  they  won't  all  be  ill.  He 
writes  mostly  on  cards,  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  sit- 
ting on  a  box.  They  cook  their  own  dinner,  and 
on  the  1 6th  they  were  going  to  eat  it,  when  orders 
came  to  turn  the  French  left  wing-  and  go  into  battle. 
That  night  was  awful,  though  the  day  of  the  i8th 
seems  to  have  been  the  bloodiest  ever  known.  Our 
wounded  all  tell  me  so. 

My  dear  parents-in-law  bear  up  well  ;  but  when 
we  three  get  together  we  pour  our  hearts  out  to 
each  other,  and  then  tears  which  are  full  of  anxiety 
will  flow. 

Kranichstein,  September  2d, 

I  went  early  to  Homburg,  as  no  trains  go  regu- 
larly now.  I  went  by  road  from  Frankfort,  and  found 
dear  Vicky  well — her   little   baby  very  pretty  and 


258  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

healthy-looking  ;    the     other     dear    children     also 
well. 

How  much  we  had  to  tell  each  other  !  How  much 
to  be  proud  of,  and  how  many  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances to  mourn  over !  The  few  hours  we  had  to- 
gether flew  by  in  no  time,  and  at  Frankfort  the  train 
was  unpunctual — outside  Darmstadt  it  waited  nearly 
an  hour.  At  our  palace,  where  I  arrived  at  ten  in 
the  evening,  people  who  were  going  to  our  Haiip- 
quartier  [headquarters],  were  waiting.  I  scribbled  a 
few  words  to  my  dear  Louis  (the  first  since  he  re- 
ceived the  Iron  Cross,  a  great  distinction)  and  packed 
a  few  things  for  him — tea,  etc. 

September  15th. 

Though  I  am  still  forbidden  to  use  my  eyes,  I 
must  send  you  a  few  words  of  thanks  for  your  dear 
letter  and  telegram.  I  had  a  violent  inflammation 
of  eyes  and  throat,  with  two  days  strong  fever  and 
neuralgia.  I  am  recovering  now,  but  feel  the  effects 
very  much  ;  my  eyes  are  still  bad,  and  it  has  reduced 
my  strength,  which  I  require  so  much.  Dr.  Weber 
has  just  lost  his  sister  (whom  he  treated  in  her  con- 
finement) from  puerperal  fever,  and  he  told  me  he 
thought  he  must  have  given  it  to  her,  from  going  to 
and  fro  to  his  wounded,  for  Lazarethfieber  [hospital 
fever]  and  that  were  so  closely  akin.  You  can  fancy 
that  in  Louis'  absence,  and  with  the  prospect  of  be- 
ing alone,  without  even  a  married  experienced  lady 
in  the  house,  this  prospect  frightened  me.  It  is  un- 
healthy at  any  time  to  be  for  one's  confinement  in 
a  town  full  of  hospitals  with  wounded,  and  Weber 
could  never  give  me  as  much  attention  as  at  anodier 
time,  and,  should  I  be  very  ill,  there  is  no  authority 
to  say  any  thing  about  what  had  best  be  done.  On 
that  account  your  telegram  was  a  relief  to  me. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  259 

September  20th, 

*  *  *  Daily  I  hear  the  muffled  drums  of  the 
funeral  of  some  soldier  or  officer  beino-  taken  past 
my  windows  to  his  last  resting-place.  How  deeply 
I  do  feel  for  the  poor  parents  and  widows  ! 

My  children  are  very  well,  but  have  absolutely  no 
place  where  they  can  walk  with  safety  from  infection, 
for  the  mass  of  sick  troops  who  get  out  and  stop  near 
the  Exercirplatz  [drill-ground],  and  the  hospitals  in 
town.  The  barrack  at  the  foot  of  our  garden  con- 
tains 1,200  French  prisoners,  and  many  of  them  ill. 
It  is  much  to  be  hoped  that  there  will  be  soon  an 
end  to  all  these  things.  I  feel  for  the  Emperor  and 
Empress  very  much.  What  ungrateful,  vain,  and 
untruthful  people  the  French  are  !  To  expose  Paris 
to  a  siege,  now  their  armies  are  beaten,  which  they 
think  through  fine  speeches  and  volunteers  they  can 
set  right  aofain. 

September  22d. 

I  received  your  letter  through  Kanne  yesterday, 
and  thank  you  many  times  for  it;  also  for  the  little 
shawls  and  sash  for  Ernie.  Every  souvenir  from 
dear  Balmoral  is  a  pleasure. 

Good  Dr.  Hofmeister  will  be  very  welcome,  and  I 
know  he  is  very  clever.  Mrs.  Clarke  is  sure  to  get 
on  well  with  him,  and  an  older  doctor  just  now,  be- 
sides being  an  acquaintance  of  so  many  years,  is  to 
me  indeed  a  comfort.  I  shall  be  able  also  to  hear  of 
all  at  home,  and  of  so  many  things  that  interest  me. 
Thousand  thanks  from  Louis  and  from  myself  for 
your  sending  him.      ""     *     * 

All  long  for  peace — the  army  and  the  nation — 
and  I  think  so  great  a  national  war  as  this  need  not 
require  part  of  the  foes'  territory.  What  little  is 
necessary  for  the  military  frontier  they  must  take  ; 


26o  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

but  the  union  of  Germany  under  one  head  is  a  far 
greater  and  finer  end  to  such  a  war  than  the  annex- 
ation of  land !         ^ 

*  *  -^  War  is  the  greatest  scourge  this  world 
knows,  and  that  we  may  not  live  to  see  it  again,  is 
my  earnest  prayer. 

October  ist. 

*  *  "^  The  children  are  all  well,  in  spite  of  the 
bad  air  here.  I  send  them  out  driving  of  an  after- 
noon, when  I  can  best,  having  only  one  coachman, 
as  ours  are  with  Louis.  At  present  they  can't  manage 
it  often.     *     *     * 

October  3d. 

*  *  '''  Dr.  Hofmeister  is  to  both  of  us  a  source 
of  real  confidence  and  comfort.  I  don't  think  anyone 
else  would  have  been  more  welcome  to  me  just  now, 
and  he  can  write  daily  to  Louis,  and  letters  go 
usually  in  two  days  now. 

I  go  as  little  as  possible  to  the  hospital  now, 
and,  indeed,  do  nothing  imprudent,  you  can  be 
sure.  ^ 

November  12th. 

*  *  *  The  nerves  of  my  forehead  and  eyes 
are  still  painful ;  and  from  all  sides  I  am  again  called 
upon  to  look  after,  settle,  and  advise  concerning 
many  things.  On  that  account  Dr.  Weber  and  my 
mother-in-law  insist  on  my  leaving  Darmstadt  for  a 
total  change  of  scene,  etc.,  for  three  weeks.  I  have 
resisted  as  long  as  I  could,  as  I  so  much  dislike 
going  from  home  now  (though  I  do  not  feel  up  to 
the  work,  and  yet  cannot  keep  from  doing  it),  but  I 
have  finally  given  in,  and  accepted  Vicky's  kind  invi- 
tation to  accompany  her  for  three  weeks  to  Berlin. 
The  journey  is  long  and  cold,  but  her  company  when 


AT  HOME  A  AW  AT  WORK.  26 1 

we  are  both  alone  is  a  pleasure  to  me,  and  I  shall 
hear  all  news  as  directly  there  as  here. 

*  '•'  *  Last  night  I  was  much  overcome.  I  had 
been  sitting  at  the  bedside  of  one  of  my  poor  young- 
friends,  and  he  was  gasping  in  a  too-distressing  way. 
The  father  held  his  hand,  the  tears  streaming  down 
his  cheek,  the  son  was  trying  to  say  "  Weinc  nicht, 
Papa  "  ["  Don't  weep,  Papa !"].  The  poor  old  father, 
so  proud  of  his  good  and  handsome  child,  is  heart- 
broken, and  they  are  touchingly  united  and  full  of 
feeling  for  each  other.  I  would  give  any  thing  to 
save  his  life  ;  but  all  efforts  will,  I  fear,  be  in  vain. 
Though  I  have  seen  so  many  lately  die  hard  deaths, 
and  heard  and  seen  the  grief  of  many  heart-broken 
widows  and  mothers,  it  makes  my  heart  bleed  anew 
in  each  fresh  case,  and  curse  the  wickedness  of  war 
again  and  again. 

Poor  baby  can't  be  christened  yet,  as  my  parents- 
in-law  think  Louis  would  not  like  it  during  his  ab- 
sence,  so  I  shall  wait.     '='     ''^     * 

November  17  th. 
:;:  *  *  How  I  rejoice  to  hear  that  Leopold 
gains  so  much  strength,  and  that  he  can  be  about 
again  as  usual.  Will  you  kindly  tell  him  in  Louis' 
name  and  mine  (as  I  am  still  restricted  in  all  writing 
and  reading)  that  we  beg  him  tostandgodfathertoour 
little  son  ?  ^'  Baby  is  so  nice  and  fat  now,  and  thrives 
very  well.  I  think  you  would  admire  him,  his  fea- 
tures are  so  pretty,  and  he  is  so  pink,  and  looks  so 
wide-awake  and  intellifjent.  Ernie,  who  in  general 
is  a  rough  boy,  is  most  tender  and  gentle  to  his  little 
brother,  and  not  jealous.     '•'     *      ''' 

*Prince  Freilerick  William,  the  "Frittie"  of  these  letters,  born  tlie  6th 
of  the  previous  month  of  October,  and  who  was  killed  by  a  fall  from  a  win- 
dow on  the  29th  of  May,  1873. 


262  PJilNCESS  ALICE. 

Berlin,  December  5th. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  Fieldmarshal  Wrangel  came 
to  see  me,  and  his  words  were,  ''  Zu  gratidiren  dass 
Ihr  Maim  ein  Held  ist,  tend  sick  so  superb  gesch- 
lagen  hat  "  ["  Accept  my  congratulations  that  your 
husband  is  a  hero,  and  lias  fought  so  magnifi- 
cently "].  I  am  very  proud  of  all  this,  but  I  am  too 
much  a  woman  not  to  long  above  all  things  to  have 
him  safe  home  again. 

*  :.=  *  "YhG  evenings  Vicky  and  I  spend  alone 
together,  talking,  or  writing  our  letters.  There  is 
so  much  to  speak  of  and  think  about,  of  the  present 
and  the  future,  that  it  is  to  me  a  great  comfort  to  be 
with  dear  Vicky.  It  is  nearly  five  months  since 
Louis  left,  and  we  lead  such  single  existences  that  a 
sister  is  inexpressibly  dear  when  all  closer  inter- 
course is  so  wanting !  There  is  so  much,  beloved 
Mama,  I  should  like  to  speak  to  you  about.    '''•     *    * 

The  girls  are  quite  well,  and  very  happy  with  their 
grandparents.  The  governess — who  in  the  end  did 
not  suit  for  the  children — as  the  six  months'  trial  is 
over,  will  not  remain,  and  I  am  looking  for  another 
one. 

Darmstadt,  December  18th. 

*  *  *  'pj-jg  children  and  I  bore  the  journey 
well,  and  it  was  not  cold.  Parting  from  dear  Vicky 
was  a  hard  moment,  and  I  shall  feel  the  loneliness 
here  so  much,  and  miss  my  dear  good  Louis  more 
than  ever.  The  children  are,  of  course,  at  such  a 
time  the  greatest  blessing.  There  is  so  much  to  do 
for  them,  and  to  look  after  for  them  ;  and  mine  are 
dear  good  children,  and  do  not  give  over-much 
trouble. 

Letters  I  have  again  received  speak  of  the 
amount  of  danger  Louis  has  again  been  daily  exposed 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  263 

to,  and  how  his  personal  courage  and  daring"  have 
given  the  victory  in  many  a  fight.  God  protect  him  ! 
I  live  in  fear  and'trembling  for  his  precious  life,  and 
after  I  hear  of  his  being  safe  through  one  battle,  I 
take  it  as  a  fresh  present  from  the  Almighty,  and 
breathe  freer  ao^ain,  thouorh  the  fear  soon  enough 
gets  the  upper  hand  again. 

I  have  asked  Uncle  Louis  to  allow  his  Berichte 
[reports]  to  be  copied  for  you.  Louis  has  Kohler 
and  another  footman  with  him,  that  is  all — and  two 
coachmen.  He  rides  in  all  battles  the  horse  you 
CTave  him  in  1866,  which  he  rode  durinof  that  cam- 
paign,  and  which  is  quite  invaluable.  It  would  in- 
terest Colonel  Maude  to  know  this,  as  he  bought 
the  horse.  My  nursery  is  in  very  good  order,  and 
they  are  all  invaluable  in  their  way. 

How  is  good  Dr.  Hoffmeister's  family  ?  Please 
say  many  kind  things  to  him  from  me,  and  tell  him 
that  the  baby  is  getting  so  nice  and  fat,  and  is  so 
healthy  in  spite  of  all  troubles.  Here  is  a  photo- 
graph of  him,  but  not  at  all  flattered.  Please  give 
Dr.  Hofmeister  one  of  them  ! 

I  have  this  instant  received  a  letter  from  Louis 
dated  the  nth!  I  will  have  an  extract  made  for 
you,  I  think  it  might  interest  Bertie  to  hear  some- 
thing of  Louis,  whom  he  can  be  proud  to  have  as  a 
brother-in-law,  for  I  hear  his  praises  continually.  He 
has  been  throughout  the  war,  as  every  other  Gen- 
eral has  been,  without  a  carriage,  etc.,  like  other 
Princes,  and  has  gained  the  respect  and  devotion  of 
his  troops. 

Darmstadt,  December  19th. 

*  *  ■^*  I  hope  for  this  last  time,  if  we  are  spared 
and  live  to  come  over  together  once  more,  we  may 
have  the  joy  of  showing  their  dear  Grandmama  the 


264  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

whole  little  band.  Of  course,  no  thoughts  of  plans 
can  be  entertained,  and  I  know,  after  so  very  long  a 
separation,  Louis  would  not  be  willing  again  to  part 
from  his  children. 

My  wounded  were  so  pleased  to  see  me  again 
yesterday.  Alas  !  many  in  bed,  and  so  ill  still !  My 
two  in  the  house  are  much  better,  and  the  one  who 
during  six  weeks  lay  at  death's  door  is  recovering. 
I  have  seldom  experienced  so  great  a  satisfaction  as 
seeing  this  young  man  recover,  and  the  doctors  say 
I  have  been  the  means  of  saving  his  life. 

The  joy  of  the  old  parents  will  be  very  great. 
Since  I  left,  there  are  new  widows,  and  fresh  parents 
bereft  of  only  children  ;  it  is  a  most  painful  duty  to 
go  to  them.  But  I  know  the  comfort  of  sympathy 
is  the  only  one  in  deep  grief. 

December  23d. 

My  warmest  and  tenderest  thanks  for  your  dear 
and  loving  letter,  with  so  many  expressions  of  a 
mother's  love  and  sympathy,  which  do  my  heart 
good,  now  that  I  feel  so  lonely  and  anxious.  It 
seems  too  great  a  happiness  to  think  of,  that  of  our 
being  allowed  to  come  with  our  children  to  you,  and 
to  Scotland  ;  and  you  know  the  smallest  corner 
is  enough  for  us,  who  are  by  no  means  particular — 
neither  are  our  people.  If  I  write  this  to  Louis,  it 
will  be  something  for  him  to  look  forward  to,  to 
cheer  him  and  reward  him  after  so  hard  a  time, 
which  he  bears  so  bravely  and  uncomplainingly. 
This  morning  I  have  been  at  the  Alice  Hospital, 
which  is  prospering.  I  have  been  taking  my  gifts 
for  Christmas  to  one  hospital  after  another.  Your 
two  capes  have  delighted  the  poor  sufferers,  and  the 
one  wounded  for  the  second  time  is  very  bad,  alas  ! 
My  wounded  officer  in  the  house  is  recovering,  next 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  265 

to  a  miracle.  For  the  two  wounded  in  the  house, 
the  children,  our  household,  and  the  children  of  our 
servants  at  the  war,  I  arrange  Christmas-trees. 

We  grown-up  ones  of  the  family  have  given  up 
keeping  Christmas  for  ourselves.  We  have  too 
much  to  do  for  others,  and  my  parents-in-law,  like 
me,  feel  the  absence  of  the  dear  ones  who  are  always 
here  for  Christmas. 

I  am  superintending  Victoria  and  Ella's  letters  to 
you,  which  have  not  achieved  the  perfection  wished 
for.  As  they  are  to  be  quite  their  own,  I  hope  you 
will  excuse  their  arriving  a  little  later. 

Darmstadt,  December  27th. 

*  *  *  Louis  telegraphed  on  Christmas  day 
from  Orleans,  where  I  had  sent  Christa's  brother 
with  a  box  of  eatables  and  woollen  things  for  his 
people,  and  a  tiny  Christmas-tree  with  little  lights 
for  the  whole  party.  Louis  has  sent  me  a  photo- 
graph of  himself  and  staff  done  at  Orleans,  and  I 
have  sent  for  a  copy  for  you,  as  it  is  very  good.  On 
Christmas  day  it  was  five  months  since  Louis  and 
the  troops  left.  The  charming  stockings  you  sent,  I 
have  sent  off  in  part  to-day  to  Louis  to  give  to  his 
Stabswache  [Staff-guard]  ;  the  other  things  I  divide 
among  the  wounded  and  sick. 

My  children  are  all  well.  The  little  one  sits  up, 
and,  though  not  very  fat,  is  round  and  firm,  with 
rosy  cheeks  and  the  brightest  eyes  possible.  He  is 
very  healthy  and  strong,  and  in  fact  the  prettiest  of 
all  my  babies.  The  three  girls  are  so  grown,  partic- 
ularly  the  two  eldest,  you  would  scarcely  know 
them.  They  are  both  very  tall  for  their  age.  Vic- 
toria is  the  height  of  Vicky's  Charlotte,  and  Ella  not 
much  less.  They  are  thin,  and  a  change  of  air 
would  be  very  beneficial. 


266  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

1871. 

The  christening  of  the  little  Prince  took  place 
quietly  on  the  iith  of  February,  the  child  receiving 
the  names  of  Frederick  William.  The  sponsors 
were  the  Empress  of  Germany,  the  Crown  Princess, 
Crown  Prince,  Prince  Frederick  Charles  of  Prussia,  ( 
and  Princess  Alice's  own  brother,  Prince  Leopold. 
The  ceremony  took  place  in  the  absence  of  Prince 
Louis,  who  had  been  unable  to  get  leave,  although 
an  armistice  had  been  concluded  on  the  28th  of 
January,  which  it  was  hoped  would  be  the  forerunner 
of  peace. 

On  the  1 8th  of  March  the  King  of  Prussia,  who 
had  meanwhile  become  Emperor  of  Germany,  made 
his  entry  into  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  together  with 
his  son  and  his  whole  staff.  The  Grand  Duke  of 
Hesse  and  the  members  of  his  family  received  him 
there. 

Prince  Louis  at  last  obtained  ten  days'  leave  of 
absence,  and  arrived  at  Darmstadt  on  the  21st  of 
March.  The  parents  of  the  Prince  had  gone  to 
meet  him  and  his  brother  William  a  few  stations 
beyond  Darmstadt,  whilst  the  Princess  AHce  awaited 
her  husband  at  the  Darmstadt  railway  station.  The 
joy  and  thankfulness  of  that  meeting  can  well  be 
imagined.  Darmstadt  was  gaily  decorated  in  honor 
of  the  Prince's  return ;  and  he  met  with  an  enthusi- 
astic reception. 

Prince  and  Princess  Louis  were  present  at  Berlin 
on  the  1 6th  of  June  at  the  triumphal  entry  of  the 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  267 

German  troops  on  the  conclusion  of  the  peace.  On 
the  2ist  of  June  th§  Prince  entered  Darmstadt  at  the 
head  of  his  Hessian  division.  In  spite  of  pouring 
rain,  the  town  presented  a  most  festive  appearance. 
Later  on  the  Prince  and  Princess  and  their  children 
went  to  Seeheim  (near  Darmstadt),  where  her 
brother.  Prince  Alfred,  visited  them  on  his  return 
from  his  three  years'  voyage  round  the  world.  The 
Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales  also  paid  their  sister  a 
visit ;  and  Prince  and  Princess  Louis  saw  much  of 
their  Russian  relations,  who  were  then  staying  at 
Jugenheim. 

In  August,  the  family  went  to  the  seaside  at 
Blankenberghe,  where  they  spent  three  weeks,  and 
afterward  went  to  London.  They  arrived  at  Bal- 
moral on  the  13th  of  September,  on  a  visit  to  the 
Queen,  whom  they  found  suffering  severely.  They 
stayed  with  her  till  the  ist  of  November,  but  the 
children,  who  had  caught  the  whooping  cough,  were 
sent  to  London  sooner.  Whilst  at  Sandringham,  to 
which  the  Prince  and  Princess  went  on  their  way 
back  from  Balmoral,  in  the  middle  of  November,  the 
Prince  of  Wales  was  taken  ill.  Prince  Louis  had  to 
return  to  Darmstadt,  but  the  Princess  remained  in 
England,  and  shared  the  anxieties  of  the  very  dan- 
gerous and  protracted  illness  of  her  brother,  whom 
she  helped  to  nurse.  It  was  the  same  terrible  fever 
(typhoid)  which,  ten  years  before,  had  ended  the  life 
of  the  beloved  Prince  Consort,  and  it  was  so  severe 
that  the  worst  was  feared.     Prince  Louis  returned 


26S  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

to  England  on  the  very  day  when  the  danger  was 
greatest,  but  he  also  was  able  to  share  in  the  joy  and 
thankfulness  when  improvement  set  in  upon  the 
14th  of  December.  He  remained  over  Christmas, 
and  returned  to  Darmstadt  before  the  year  was  at 
an  end. 

Darmstadt,  January  7th. 

*  *  *  In  England  people  are,  I  fear,  becom- 
ing unjust  toward  the  German  troops.  Such  a  long 
and  bloody  war  must  demoralize  the  best  army  ;  and 
I  only  say,  in  such  a  position  how  would  the  French 
have  behaved  ?  Many  French  officers  say  the  same, 
and  how  gready  they  respect  the  German  soldier. 
Hundreds  of  French  officers  and  two  generals  have 
broken  their  word  of  honor,  and  run  away.  I  doubt, 
whether  o'/ie  in  the  German  army  would  do  such  a 
thing.  The  French  peasants,  often  women,  murder 
our  soldiers  in  their  beds,  and  the  wounded  they 
have  used  too  horribly  many  a  time.  Is  it  a  wonder, 
then,  when  the  men  let  a  feeling  of  revenge  lay  hold 
of  them  }  A  guerilla  war  is  always  horrid,  and 
no  words  can  say  how  all  Germans  feel  and  de- 
plore the  present  phase  of  the  war  !  I  hope  and 
trust  that  the  end  may  not  be  far  distant. 

One  of  the  poor  wounded  soldiers  whom  I  gave 
your  cape  to  is  dying,  and  the  poor  boy  won't  part 
from  it  for  an  instant,  and  holds  it  tight  round  him- 
self. 

Louis  continues  at  Orleans,  where  they  have  en- 
trenched themselves,  and  await  with  impatience 
news  from  Paris  which  must  be  of  great  influence 
for  the  continuation  or  ending  of  the  war. 

My  days  fly  past.  The  children  take  much  of  my 
time — so,  too,  the  house,  my  two  wounded  in  the 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  269 

house,  and   the   hospitals,   to   one   of  which   I    go 
daily. 

Darmstadt,  January  14th. 

*  *  .*  How  kind  of  you  to  work  something 
for  Louis  ;  he  will  wear  it  with  such  pleasure.  Prince 
Frederick  Carl's  recent  victories  ^  and  the  fresh 
hosts  of  prisoners  must  help  to  bring  the  war  to  an 
end.  Germany  does  not  wish  to  go  on,  but  the 
French  won't  see  that  they  are  beaten,  and  they  will 
have  to  accept  the  visitors,  who  must  increase  in 
numbers  the  longer  the  French  refuse  to  accede  to 
the  German  demands. 

I  am  so  low,  so  deeply  grieved  for  the  misery  en- 
tailed on  both  sides,  and  feel  for  the  French  so 
much.  Our  troops  do  not  pillage  in  the  way 
described  in  English  papers.  I  have  read  far 
worse  accounts  of  what  the  French  soldiers  and 
francs-tireurs  do  in  their  French  villages. 

The  poor  soldier  who  had  your  cape  is  dead.  He 
died  with  it  round  him.  I  was  with  him  in  the  after- 
noon, and  he  had  tears  in  his  eyes,  and  was  very 
low.  In  the  night  he  died.  This  morning  I  was  at 
the  station  to  give  things  to  the  wounded  and  sick 
who  came  through — a  sorry  sight.  This  afternoon 
I  am  going  to  a  poor  soldier's  widow  who  has  just 
had  twins.  The  distress  on  all  sides  is  great.  I 
help  where  I  can.  Becker  tears  his  hair.  The  two 
wounded  in  the  house  cost  so  much.  So  does  every 
thing  else  ;  but  as  long  as  I  can,  through  sparing  on 
myself,  help  others,  I  must  do  it — though  I  have,  as 
things  now  are,  nothing  left. 

I  will  get  a  head  of  Ernest  done  for  your  brace- 
let, and  another  one,  so  that  you  may  have  some- 
thing else  of  him.     He  is  a  magnificent  boy,  but  so 

*  On  the  loth,  nth,  and  12th  of  January,  1871,  before  Le  Mans. 


270  FEIA'CESS  ALICE. 

huge — such  Hinbs  !  The  baby  is  not  at  all  small, 
but  near  Ernest  all  the  others  look  small. 

He  can't  speak  properly  yet,  but  he  understands 
every  thing,  and  has  a  wonderful  ear  for  music.  He 
sings  the  "  Gute^i  Kameraden"  without  a  fault  in  the 
time,  and  is  passionately  fond  of  dancing,  which  he 
also  does  in  time. 

Irene  is  erowinof  fast  also,  but  the  two  eldest  are 
quite  big  girls  ;  it  makes  me  feel  old  when  I  see  them 
growing  up  to  me  so  fast.  Victoria  has  a  very  en- 
quiring mind,  and  is  studious,  and  learns  easily  and 
well.  Since  the  middle  of  December  I  have  been 
without  a  governess. 

To-morrow  I  go  to  Mayence  to  see  poor  Wolde- 
mar*  Holstein's  sister.  He  is  very  bad,  to  the  grief 
of  all  Mayence,  and  of  all  who  know  him. 

Darmstadt,  January  16th, 
*  *  *  It  is  pouring  and  thawing — most  dismal 
— and  my  thoughts  are  with  our  dear  ones  and  our 
poor  troops  far  away.  Becker  lost  his  brother-in- 
law,  who  leaves  a  wife  (Matilda,  Becker's  sister)  and 
four  little  children.     Each  day  fresh  losses. 

My  litde  baby  ought  to  be  christened,  but  Louis 
and  my  parents-in-law  always  hope  that  the  end  of 
hostilities  is  near,  and  that  Louis  can  then  get  leave. 
Baby's  blue  eyes  are  beginning  to  turn,  and  look  al- 
most as  if  they  would  be  brown.  Should  dear 
Grandmama's  and -Grandpapa's  eyes  come  up  again 
amongst  some  of  the  grandchildren,  how  nice  it 
would  be ! 

I  have  but  litde  news  to  give.  I  go  about  to  the 
poor  soldiers'  widows  and  wives — no  end  of  them, 
with  new-born  babies,  in  the  greatest  distress. 

*  Prince  Heniy  Charles  Woldemar  of  Schleswig-Holstein,    Governor  of 
the  Fortress  of  Mayence.     He  died  on  the  20th  of  January,  1871. 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  2/1 

Yesterday  I  saw  the  mother  of  the  poor  young 
soldier  who  died.  She  keeps  your  cape  as  a  precious 
rehc,  as  it  had  giv^n  him  such  great  pleasure. 

January  30th. 

Your  charming  photograph  and  kind  letter  arrived 
this  morning — thousand  thanks  for  both  !  How  like 
the  photograph,  and  how  pleasing !  I  am  so  glad  to 
have  it. 

The  armistice  and  capitulation  of  Paris  are  great 
events.  The  people  are  out  of  their  minds  with  joy 
— flags  all  over  the  town,  and  the  streets  crowded. 

I  forgot  to  say  in  my  last  letter  how  grieved  I  was 
about  Beaty  Durham's  *  death.  It  is  quite  shock- 
ing !  and  those  numbers  of  children  in  so  short  a 
time.  I  earnestly  hope  none  of  us  run  such  a  chance, 
for  on  the  whole  our  children  have  not  been  so  close 
together.  My  last  came  sooner  than  I  wished,  and 
is  smaller  than  his  brother,  but  I  hope  now  for  a 
long  rest.  I  have  baby  fed,  besides,  so  as  not  to 
try  my  strength.  He  is  very  healthy  and  strong, 
and  is  more  like  Victoria  and  my  brothers  and  sisters 
than  my  other  children,  and  his  eyes  remind  me  of 
Uncle  Ernest's,  and  seem  turning  brown,  which 
would  be  very  pretty,  as  he  is  very  fair  otherwise. 

Your  pretty  photograph  is  standing  before  me, 
and  makes  me  quite  absent.  I  catch  myself  con- 
tinually staring  at  it,  instead  of  writing  my  letters. 

Darmstadt,  February  2d. 
*  *  *  All  the  many  French  here  are  pleased 
at  the  capitulation  of  Paris,  and  hope  that  peace  is 
certain.  Louis  writes  to  me  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Orleans  were  equally  pleased,  and  consider  the  war 
over.  I  earnestly  pray  it  may  be  so.  How  greatly 
relieved  and  thankful  all  Germany  would  be ! 

*  Daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Abercorn. 


272  PUnVCESS  ALICE. 

Louis  telegraphed  to-day.  He  has  no  leave  as 
yet,  though  he  hopes  for  it.  Now  that  there  is  a 
prospect  of  peace,  and  that  the  fighting  is  momenta- 
rily over,  I  feel  quite  a  collapse  of  my  nerves,  after 
the  strain  that  has  been  on  them  for  six  whole 
months.  I  can  scarcely  imagine  whatit  will  be  when 
my  beloved  Louis  is  at  home  again  ;  it  seems  too 
great  a  joy  !  Rest  and  quiet  together  are  what  I 
long  for  ;  and  I  fear  in  the  first  weeks  he  will  have 
so  much  to  do,  and  there  will  be  much  eoine  on. 

He  speaks  with  the  greatest  hope  of  going  to 
Scotland  this  autumn  ;  and,  if  we  are  spared  to  do 
so,  it  will  be  such  a  rest,  and  do  good  to  our  healths, 
which  must  feel  the  wear  and  tear  sooner  or  later. 

February  nth. 

Many  thanks  for  your  last  kind  letter.  I  thought 
so  much  of  you  yesterday,  spending  the  dear  loth 
for  the  first  time  again  at  Windsor.  To  day  our 
little  son  is  to  be  christened,  but  only  the  family  will 
be  present,  and  my  ladies  and  the  two  wounded  gen- 
tlemen, who  can  get  about  on  crutches  now.  When 
I  think  that  the  one  owes  his  life  to  being  here,  it 
always  gives  me  pleasure. 

Two  nights  ago  I  was  awakened  by  a  dreadful 
noise,  the  whole  house  and  my  bed  rocking  from  it ; 
and  twice  again,  though  less  violently.  It  was  an 
earthquake,  and  I  think  too  unpleasant.  It  fright- 
ens one  so  ;  the  doors  and  windows  rattle  and  shake. 
To-night  two  slight  shocks,  and  one  during  the  day 
yesterday. 

How  I  shall  miss  dear  Louis  to-day  !  The  seven 
months  will  be  round  ere  we  meet,  I  fear,  and  he 
has  never  seen  his  dear  little  boy.  It  always  makes 
me  sad  to  look  at  him,  though  now  I  have  every 
reason  to  hope — please  God — that   I  shall  have  the 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  2/3 

joy  of  seeing  Louis  come  home,  and  of  placing  his 
baby  in  his  arms.  My  heart  it  full,  as  you  can  fan- 
cy, and,  much  as  \  long  to  see  Louis,  I  almost  dread 
the  moment — the  emotion  will  be  so  great,  and  the 
long  pent-up  feelings  will  find  vent. 

I  pray  that  peace  may  be  restored,  and  that  I  may 
not  live  to  see  such  a  war  again,  or  to  see  my  sons 
have  to  go  to  it. 

I  will  tell  Christa  to  write  an  account  to  you  of  the 
christening,  for  Leopold  to  see  also,  as  he  will  be 
godfather.  Frederic  William  Augustus  (after  the 
Empress)  Victor  (victory)  Louis  will  be  his  names. 
Fritz  and  Vicky,  the  Empress  and  Fritz  Carl,  are 
godparents. 

Darmstadt,  February  14th, 
My  bad  eyes  must  again  excuse  the  shortness  of 
these  lines,  which  are  to  thank   you  many  times  for 
your  last  dear  letter. 

Christa  will  have  sent  you  the  account  of  little 
Fritz's  christening,  which  was  a  sad  day  for  me,  and 
will  have  been  so  for  dear  Louis  likewise.  We  have 
added  dear  Leopold's  name  to  the  other,  as  his  sad 
life,  and  the  anxiety  his  health  has  so  often  caused 
us  all,  endear  him  particularly,  and  we  hoped  it 
would  give  him  pleasure,  poor  boy. 

The  elections  in  the  provinces  are  all  for  peace, 
and  only  the  towns  for  war  and  a  republic.  This 
week  is  one  of  intense  and  anxious  expectation  ; 
though  the  greater  portion  believe  in  the  restoration 
of  peace,  yet  we  have  no  security  for  it. 

March  6th. 
*     *     *      Now     dear    Louise's    marriage    draws 
near,  how  much  you  must  feel  it!     I  think  so  much 
of  her,  of  your  and  of  my  dear  home.     I  trust  she  will 


2/4  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

be  very  happy,  which  with  such  an  amiable  young 
man  she  must  be. 

Louis  has  received  the  Order  "■Pour  le  vierite,'' 
which  I  am  so  glad  of  for  him.  The  Emperor  tele- 
graphed the  announcement  to  my  mother-in-law, 
with  many  complimentary  words  about  her  sons.  To 
have  the  three  sons  safe  is  something  to  be  thankful 
for,  for  they  were  much  and  continually  exposed.  I 
know  nothing  of  Louis'  coming.  The  troops  march 
home,  and  it  will  take  at  least  six  weeks.  I  hope  so 
much  that  he  may  have  leave  for  a  fortnight,  and  then 
return  to  the  troops,  to  lead  them  home. 

To-night  are  the  peace  illuminations  here,  which 
will  be  very  pretty.  Our  house  will  also  be  illumi- 
nated, and  I  take  the  two  eldest  girls  out  with  me 
to-night  to  see  it  all.  It  is  a  thing  for  them  never  to 
forget,  this  great  and  glorious,  though  too  horrid, 
war. 

March  13th. 

I  know  nothing  as  yet  of  Louis'  return.  I  fear  I 
must  wait  a  few  weeks  longer.  On  Wednesday  the 
Emperor,  Fritz,  and  some  of  the  Princes  pass  through 
Frankfort,  and  I  am  going  there  with  my  parents-in- 
law  to  see  them. 

The  Paris  news  is  not  very  edifying,  and  I  fear 
France  has  not  seen  the  worst  yet,  for  there  seems 
to  be  a  fearful  state  of  anarchy  there. 

I  have  no  news  to  give,  save  that  Frittie  has  his 
first  tooth.  He  is  between  Victoria  and  Irene,  but 
not  like  Ernie — not  near  so  big,  which  is  really  not 
necessary.  I  think  he  is  the  sort  of  baby  you  ad- 
mire. I  go  on  looking  after  my  hospitals,  and  now 
the  trains,  full  of  Landwehr  returning  home  cheering 
and  singing,  begin  to  pass.  Now  good-bye,  darling 
Mama.     I  am  in  thought  daily  with  you  during  these 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  2/5 

days,  and  only  wish  it  had  been  in  my  power  to  be 
of  any  use  or  comfort  to  you  just  now. 

Darmstadt,  April  8th. 

*  *  *  We  had  the  pleasure  of  catching-  a 
glimpse  of  Louise  and  Lome  on  their  way  through, 
but  their  stay  was  too  short  to  be  able  to  say  more 
than  a  few  words.  They  can  scarcely  help  passing 
through  here,  as  they  can't  go  through  France,  on 
their  way  back;  and  if  you  would  allow  them  qzdte 
incognito  on  their  way  back  to  pass  a  day  here,  it 
would  give  both  Louise  and  me  the  greatest  pleasure, 
and  entail  no  other  visits. 

The  Emperor,  who  kindly  gave  Louis  leave,  pro- 
longed it  till  Monday,  when  he  leaves,  and  for  how 
long  is  quite  undecided.  If  I  could  only  go  with 
him  !  Marie  of  Saxony  has  joined  George  :  so  has 
Carola  [the  Crown  Princess  of  Saxony]  her  hus- 
band ;  but  our  division,  which  is  near  Chumont,  is 
in  too  bad  and  close  quarters  to  admit  of  my  living 
there. 

Should  Louis  have  to  remain  very  lono-,  I  still 
hope  to  rejoin  him — I  don't  care  about  the  little  dis- 
comfort. 

The  new  governess,  Frl.  Kitz,  comes  on  Thursday. 
She  is  not  young,  but  pleasing-looking — said  to  be 
very  amiable,  and  a  good  governess  ;  has  been  for 
eighteen  years  in  England,  first  with  Lady  Palk,  and 
then  for  ten  years  with  Herr  Kleinwart — a  rich  Ger- 
man banker  in  London — where  she  brought  up  the 
two  daughters. 

Darmstadt,  April  13th. 

*  *  *  Ernie's  kilt  was  sent  him  by  Mr. 
Mitchell.*      He   admired  Ernie   so  much  at   Berlin, 

*  The  late  Mr.  John  Mitchell,  the  librarian  of  Old  Bond  Street. 


276  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

that  he  said  he  would  send  him  a  Scotch  dress,  and 
I  could  not  refuse.  It  is  rather  small  as  it  is,  and  I 
hope  that  you  will  still  give  him  one,  as  from  his 
Grandmama  it  would  be  doubly  valuable. 

Louis  has  arrived  safely  at  his  destination — Don- 
jeux  ;  and  we  both  feel  the  separation  very  much 
after  having  had  the  happiness  of  being  together 
again. 

The  Paris  battles  are  too  dreadful,  and  the  end 
seems  some  way  off  yet. 

May  27th. 

My  thoughts  cannot  leave  unfortunate  Paris ! 
What  horrors,  and  enacted  so  close  by  in  the  centre 
of  the  civilized  world !  It  seems  incredible  ;  and 
what  a  lesson  for  those  who  wish  to  learn  by  it ! 

Darmstadt,  June  8ih. 

Louise  and  Lome  are  just  gone,  and  it  rains  and 
blows,  and  is  dreadful.  Their  visit  was  so  pleasant, 
so  gcmi'itJilich,  and  I  think  Louise  looks  well  and 
happy.  She  had  much  to  tell  of  their  journey, 
which  seems  to  have  been  very  interesting.  I  could 
show  them  almost  nothing,  as  the  weather  was  so 
bad.  We  three  went  yesterday  evening  to  my  pa- 
rents-in-law, who  were  most  kind  to  them,  as  they 
always  are  to  all  my  relations. 

Their  short  stay  was  a  ^r^2X  great  pleasure  to  me, 
so  cut  off  from  home  as  I  have  been  since  three 
long  years. 

Louis  will  be  here  in  a  few  days,  and  we  go  to- 
gether to  Berlin  for  four  days  ;  Louis  insists  on  my 
accompanying  him.  On  the  24th  the  entry  of  the 
troops  will  be  here. 

Seeheim,  June  14th. 

*     *     *     I   am  so  glad  that  the  poor  Emperor 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  2// 

and  Empress  are  so  kindly  treated.  They  deserve 
to  be  well  used  by  England,  for  the  Emperor  did  so 
much  to  bring  France  and  England  together.  How 
shamefully  the  French  treat  them,  and  speak  of 
them,  is  not  to  be  told  ;  for  the  French  consider 
themselves  blameless,  and  always  betrayed  by  oth- 
ers, whom  they  had  made  almost  their  gods  of,  as 
long  as  all  went  well. 

Dear  Frittie  is  getting  better — principally  his 
looks,  but  the  illness  is  not  overcome  yet.  I  have 
been  so  anxious  about  him.  The  country  here  is 
more  beautiful  than  ever,  and  country  air  and  flow- 
ers are  a  great  enjoyment.  Every  little  walk  is  up 
and  down  hill,  little  brooks,  rocks,  small  green  val- 
leys, fine  woods,  etc.  I  have  not  lived  here  since 
1 865,  when  Ella  was  a  baby.  The  children  are  be- 
side themselves  with  pleasure  at  the  pretty  country 
and  the  scrambling  walks,  but  above  all  at  the  wild 
flowers,  in  which  they  are  getting  quite  learned.  I 
find  them  in  a  book  for  them,  and  even  Ernie  knows 
some  names,  and  never  calls  them  wrong.  All  my 
children  are  great  lovers  of  nature,  and  I  develop 
this  as  much  as  I  can.  It  makes  life  so  rich,  and 
they  can  never  feel  dull  anywhere,  if  they  know  to 
seek  and  find  around  them  the  thousand  beauties 
and  wonders  of  nature.  They  are  very  happy  and 
contented,  and  always  see,  the  less  people  have 
the  less  they  want,  and  the  greater  is  the  enjoyment 
of  that  which  they  have.  I  bring  my  children  up 
as  simply  and  with  as  few  wants  as  I  can,  and,  above 
all,  teach  them  to  help  themselves  and  others,  so  as 
to  become  independent. 

Darmstadt,  June  20th. 
I  write  at  the  dinner-table,  whilst  the  children  fin- 
ish dinner,  as  1  have  not  found  a  spare  moment  yet, 


278  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

and  the  rest  of  my  afternoon  is  taken  up  with  the 
preparations  for  to-morrow. 

The  Empress  Augusta  has  just  been  here  for 
three  hours,  quite  dead-tired  with  all  she  went 
through. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter  received  be- 
fore our  departure  for  Potsdam  !  Our  journey  was 
dreadful.  We  left  in  the  evening,  and  were  to  have 
been  here  at  1 1  a.m.,  and  through  the  irregularity  of 
the  trains  we  only  got  here  at  four  in  the  afternoon. 
I  am  quite  done  up.  The  fatigues  at  Berlin  were  in- 
cessant. Any  thing  more  grand,  more  imposing  or 
touching  and  crhcbend  [elevating]  than  the  entry  of 
the  troops  in  Berlin  I  never  saw.  It  was  a  wonderful 
sight  to  drive  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour  through 
rows  of  French  cannon!  The  decorations  were  so 
artistic,  so  handsome,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
dense  crowds  quite  enormous.  I  am  glad  to  have 
been  there  ;  it  will  be  a  thing  to  recollect.  The  old 
Emperor,  surrounded  by  the  many  princes  and  by 
his  great  generals,  looked  so  noble  riding  at  the 
head  of  his  glorious  troops.  Deputations  of  all  the 
German  troops  were  there. 

It  was  very  hot,  and  we  had  to  drive  every  day  to 
Berlin,  and  back  in  the  evening. 

Alas!  it  is  rainy  here,  and  the  town  is  so  beauti- 
fully decorated ;  three  large  triumphal  arches,  and 
the  houses  covered  with  garlands  and  flags. 

I  found  the  dear  children  well,  though  rather  pale 
from  the  heat. 

Louis  left  again  this  morning,  but  after  to-morrow 
remains  here  for  good,  which  will  indeed  be  a  pleas- 
ure after  such  endless  separations. 

Darmstadt,  June  27th. 
*     *     *     To-day  Aunt  Marie  of  Russia  and  her 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  2/9 

children  were  here.  Aunt  Marie  looks  thinner  than 
ever,  but  well ;  and  Marie  dear  and  nice,  with  such  a 
kind  fresh  face, 'so  simple  and  girlish.  She  gives 
her  brothers  music  lessons  during  the  journey,  which 
she  is  very  proud  of.  She  is  very  fond  of  children, 
and  of  a  quiet  country  life — that  is  the  ideal  she 
looks  for.  The  Emperor  of  Russia  comes  here  on 
the  5th,  to  join  Aunt  Marie  at  Petersthal.  Louis' 
work  is  incessant — the  selling  off  of  horses,  the 
chaneinof  orarrisons  of  the  res^iments,  the  new  forma- 
tion  of  our  division,  causes  almost  more  work  than 
the  Mobilmachung  [mobilization].  The  entry  was 
very  beautiful :  the  decorations  of  the  town  most 
tasteful  ;  not  a  house  or  the  smallest  street  which 
was  not  covered  with  garlands,  flags,  and  emblems. 
There  were  large  groups  of  the  captured  guns,  and 
the  names  of  the  battles  on  shields  around.  Unfor- 
tunately, it  poured  nearly  all  the  time,  and  we  were 
quite  drenched.  I  had  the  five  children  in  my  car- 
riage, and  Irene  gave  wreaths  to  her  godfathers  of 
the  cavalry  brigade.  Two  days  ago  we  gave  a  large 
military  dinner,  and  have  several  soirees  of  that  sort 
to  give  before  we  can  go  into  the  country,  which  I 
am  longing  for.  We  shall  probably  go  to  Seeheim, 
as  the  summer  seems  too  damp  for  Kranichstein. 

The  middle  of  August  we   shall  go  to  Blanken- 
bergfhe,  near  Ostend,  as  the  doctors  wish  sea-bathine 

O  Try 

for  Louis,  and  sea  air  for  me  and  for  sonie  of  the 
children,  which  is  very  necessary  to  set  us  up  before 
ofoing  to  Scotland.  We  want  to  remain  one  or  two 
days  and  one  night  in  London.  We  require  a  few 
things,  which  make  a  stay  necessary.  If  we  might 
be  at  Balmoral  on  the  loth,  as  Louis'  birthday  is  on 
the  I  2th,  would  that  suit  you  ? 

Please  let  me  know  in  time  if  you  think  our  plans 


28o  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

good.  This  will  enable  us  to  settle  when  to  go  to 
Blankenbero-he,  as  we  can't  be  there  lono^er  than 
three  weeks. 

Hoiu  I  look  forward  to  seeing  you  again,  and  to 
come  home  once  more !  It  is  so  kind  of  you  to  let 
us  bring  the  children.  The  arrangement  of  the 
rooms  will  do  perfectly,  and  we  don't  care  how  we 
are  put  up,  and  above  all  things  don't  wish  to  be  in 
the  way. 

The  weather  is  horrid — rain  and  wind  incessantly 
— after  having  been  tremendously  hot.  These  sud- 
den changes  upset  every  one,  and  Frittie  has  had  a 
very  slight  return  of  his  illness. 

August  13th. 

*  *  *  The  newest  news  is,  that  my  nice  excel- 
lent Marie  Grancy  is  going  to  marry.  She  will  be 
such  a  loss  to  me.  These  last  years  she  has  been  so 
useful,  so  amiable,  and  I  shall  miss  her  dreadfully. 
She  is  going  to  marry  Major  von  Hesse,  who  was 
with  us  in  Enorland  the  last  time,  and  the  weddinof  is 
to  be  in  September.  As  he  has  been  ill  in  conse- 
quence of  the  war,  they  will  go  to  Italy  and  spend 
the  winter  there. 

We  leave  at  eight  to-morrow  morning,  reach 
Cologne  at  one  o'clock,  and  wait  there  till  ten  in  the 
evening,  when  we  continue  our  journey  and  reach 
Blankenberghe  at  eight  next  morning.  Will  you 
kindly  send  a  gentleman  to  Gravesend,  who  can  re- 
main with  us  in  London,  as  we  are  quite  alone  ? 

Uncle  George,  Aunt  Cambridge,  and  Mary  dined 
with  us  at  Frankfort  two  days  ago.  Mary  I  had 
not  seen  for  three  years  ;  she  was  looking  very 
handsome. 

Blankenberghe,  August  17th. 

Only  two  words  to  say  that  we  arrived  safe  and 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  28 1 

well  here  yesterday  after  a  very  hot  journey.  The 
hotel  is  on  the  beach  where  we  sit  all  day  ;  there 
are  no  walks  or*  any  thinor  save  the  beach,  and  no 
trees.  .Our  rooms  are  ver)'  small  and  not  very 
clean  ;  but  the  heavenly  sea  air  and  the  wind  refresh 
one,  and  the  sands  are  very  long.  One  can  ride  on 
donkeys,  which  enchants  young  and  old  children. 
Every  one  bathes  together,  and  one  has  to  take  a 
little  run  before  the  waves  cover  one.  We  bathed 
with  the  three  girls  this  morning,  but  I  felt  quite  shy, 
for  all  the  people  sit  round  and  look  on,  and  there 
are  great  numbers  of  people  here.  Our  children 
play  about  with  others  and  dig  in  the  sand.  Frittie 
sleeps  so  v/ell  since  he  has  been  here  ;  his  color  is 
beginning  to  return. 

We  have  one  small  sitting-room,  which  is  our 
dining-room,  and  Louis'  dressing-room. 

I  was  so  sad  and  upset  at  taking  leave  of  my  dear 
Marie  Grancy  the  other  day  ;  a  kind  true  friend  and 
companion  has  she  been  to  me  these  nine  years,  and 
during  the  war  she  was  quite  invaluable  to  me.  I 
hope  she  will  be  as  happy  as  she  deserves  to  be. 

Buckingham  Palace,  September  lolh. 

The  pleasure  of  seeing  your  dear  handwriting 
again  has  been  so  great!  Thank  God  that  you  are 
going  on  well.  I  do  feel  so  luuch  for  )-ou,  and  for  all 
you  have  had  to  suffer  in  every  way  !  I  trust  entire 
quiet  and  rest  of  mind  and  body,  and  any  little  atten- 
tion that  I  may  be  able  to  offer  for  your  comfort,  will 
make  the  autumn  of  real  benefit  for  your  health. 
How  I  do  look  forward  to  seeing  you  again,  I  can't 
say.  * 

We  propose  leaving  the  evening  of  the  13th. 
Bertie  and  Uncle  George  have  arranged  for  our 
going  to  Aldershot  on  Monday  and  Tuesday,  which 


282  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

interests  Louis  above  all  things,  and  I  fancied  this 
arrangement  would  suit  you  best. 

The  journey  has  quite  cured  Frittie,  without  any 
medicine,  and  the  heat  is  over. 

*  *  *  I  took  Victoria  and  Ella  to  the  Exhibi- 
tion, and  what  enchanted  Ella  most  was  a  policeman, 
who  was,  as  she  said,  "  so  very  kind  "  in  keeping  the 
crowd  off.  It  reminded  me  of  "  Susy  Pusy,"  which 
dear  Papa  used  to  tease  me  with  as  a  child. 

We  dined  and  lunched  with  Bertie,  who  had  only 
just  arrived,  and  is  gone  again.  Dear  Arthur  of 
course  I  have  not  seen. 

Bram's  Hill  Park  Camp,         ) 

Cavalry  Brigade,  2D  Division,  >• 

September  12th.  ) 

In  Bertie's  tent  I  write  these  few  lines  to  thank 
you  in  Louis'  name  and  my  own  a  thousand  times 
for  your  dear  kind  letter.  Every  loving  word  is  so 
precious  to  us,  and  the  presents  you  so  kindly  gave 
Louis  enchanted  him.  The  pin,  unfortunately,  did 
not  arrive. 

How  I  regret  each  time  I  hear  you  speak  of  your 
illness !  I  have  been  so  anxious  about  you.  Uncle 
Louis  and  my  parents-in-law,  in  their  telegram  of 
to-day,  enquire  after  you. 

We  have  had  two  such  interesting  days ;  the 
country  too  lovely,  each  day  in  a  quite  different  part. 
We  accompanied  Uncle  George,  and  in  this  way 
have  seen  the  two  Divisions,  and  through  sleeping 
here  will  be  enabled  to  see  the  third  Division  to- 
morrow before  returning  to  town. 

I  saw  dear  Arthur  yesterday.  He  rode  with  me 
all  the  time,  and  to-day  we  met  him  marching  with 
his  company.  How  I  have  enjoyed  seeing  your 
splendid  troops  again,  I  can't  tell  you  ;  but  I  shall 
reserve  all  news  till  we  meet. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  IVORK.  283 

Louis  thanks  you  again  and  again  for  your  kind- 
ness, and  only  regrets  not  having  seen  you  himself, 
but  is  very  grateful  that  we  were  allowed  to  stay  a 
few  days  at  Buckingham  Palace,  through  which  we 
were  enabled  to  come  here,  which  to  him  as  a  sol- 
dier is  of  the  very  greatest  interest.  Bertie  is  full  of 
his  work,  and  I  think  it  interests  him  immensely. 
He  has  charming  officers  about  him,  to  help  and 
show  him  what  to  do.  To  our  great  disappointment 
we  did  not  see  the  42d  Highlanders,  the  "  Black 
Watch  "  to-day  ;  but  yesterday  we  saw  the  Agyle- 
shire  91st  Highlanders,  who  gave  Louise  the  present. 
Bertie  lent  me  a  charming  little  horse,  but  the  ground 
is  dreadful,  and  not  having  ridden  for  so  long,  and 
being  on  horseback  so  many  hours,  makes  me  feel 
quite  stiff. 

DuNROBiN  Castle,         ) 
Sutherland,  October  19th.  \ 

I  wish  your  telegram  had  brought  me  better  news 
of  you.  I  really  can't  bear  to  think  of  you  suffering, 
and  so  much  alone.  I  feel  it  quite  wrong  to  have 
left  you,  and  my  thoughts  and  wishes  are  continually 
with  you,  and  distract  my  attention  from  all  I  see  here. 
I  can't  tell  you  how  much  I  feel  for  you  at  being 
so  helpless.  It  is  such  a  trial  to  any  one  so  active  as 
yourself ;  but  your  trial  must  be  drawing  to  a  close, 
and  you  will  be  rewarded  in  the  end,  I  am  sure,  by 
feeling  perhaps  even  better  and  stronger  than  you 
did  before  all  your  troubles. 

I  was  nearly  sick  in  the  train,  which  is  the  slowest 
I  was  ever  in  in  my  life,  and  was  unable  to  go  to 
dinner  ;  but  a  long  walk  by  the  sea  this  morning 
has  quite  set  me  up  in  spite  of  the  extraordinary 
warmth. 

Sandringham,  November  9tli. 

It  is  the  first  time  since  eleven  years  that  I  have 


284  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Spent  Bertie's  birthday  with  him,  and  though  we  are 
only  three  of  our  own  family  together,  still  that  is 
better  than  nothing,  and  makes  it  seem  more  like 
birthday.  Bertie  and  Alix  are  so  kind,  and  give  us 
so  warm  a  welcome,  showing  how  they  like  having 
us,  that  it  feels  quite  home.  Indeed  I  pray  earnestly 
that  God's  blessing  may  rest  on  him,  and  that  he 
may  be  guided  to  do  what  is  wise  and  right,  so  that 
he  may  tide  safely  through  the  anxious  times  that 
are  before  him,  and  in  which  we  now  live.  They 
are  both  charming  hosts,  and  all  the  party  suit  well 
together.  The  Westminsters  and  Brownlows  are 
here  ;   Lady  B.  is  so  very  handsome. 

We  joined  the  shooting  party  for  luncheon,  and 
the  last  beats  out  to-day  and  yesterday  ;  and  the 
weather  is  beautiful,  though  cold — a  very  bracing 
air,  like  Scotland. 


1872. 

The  Princess  did  not  return  to  Darmstadt  with 
her  children  till  the  end  of  January,  passing  through 
Brussels  on  her  way.  Prince  Louis  was  invested 
with  the  order  of  the  Black  Eagle  at  the  "  Kron- 
ungs-  und  Ordensfest "  at  Berlin.  Many  of  their  re- 
lations visited  the  Prince  and  Princess  during  the 
early  part  of  the  year. 

On  the  6th  of  June  another  daughter  was  born, 
and  she  was  christened  on  the  ist  of  July,  the  anni- 
versary of  her  parents'  wedding-day.  Her  names 
were  Victoria  Alix  Helena  Louise  Beatrice.  The 
sponsors  were  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  the 
Cesarewitch  and  Cesarewna,  Princess  Beatrice,  the 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  285 

Duchess    of  Cambridge,    and   the  Landgravine    of 
Hesse. 

In  August  the  Crown  Prince  of  Prussia  paid  his 
first  visit  to  Darmstadt  since  the  war,  and  met  with  a 
most  loyal  and  hearty  reception. 

In  consequence  of  the  death  of  the  Princess 
Hohenlohe-Langenburg,  the  beloved  half-sister  of 
the  Queen,  in  September,  the  Prince  and  Princess 
went  to  Baden  to  be  present  at  the  last  sad  cere- 
mony, and  to  see  their  beloved  aunt  borne  to  her 
rest. 

A  fortnight  later  the  general  assembly  of  the 
various  German  societies  for  charitable  purposes 
held  its  first  meeting  at  Darmstadt. 

All  these  societies,  including  the  "  Ladies'  Union," 
founded  by  Princess  Alice,  had,  in  1869,  joined 
themselves  together  to  form  one  great  body.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1872  the  Princess  added  another  Insti- 
tution to  those  she  had  already  called  into  existence 
— viz.,  an  Orphan  Asylum.  A  special  committee  of 
ladies  was  at  the  head  of  it,  to  watch  over  it,  and 
also,  if  necessary,  to  advise  and  help  those  poor 
orphans  who  had  been  boarded  out  in  private  families 
at  the  expense  of  the  parish.  This  institution  has 
aleady  proved  most  successful,  thanks  to  the  readi- 
ness with  which  the  authorities  met  all  Princess 
Alice's  wishes. 

The  general  assembly  at  Darmstadt — the  "  Frauen- 
tag  "  or  •'  Ladies'  Diet,"  as  it  was  called — distin- 
guished itself,  not  only  by  the    extremely  discreet 


286  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

and  practical  manner  in  which  it  carried  out  all  the 
many  different  branches  of  business  which  it  had  un- 
dertaken, but  also  by  the  presence  of  several  re- 
markable persons  interested  in  its  aims  and  objects, 
such  as  Madame  Marie  Simon,  the  founder  and  head 
of  the  Institution  for  trainino-  nurses  at  Dresden,  and 
three  English  ladies.  Miss  Mary  Carpenter,  Miss 
Florence  Hill,  and  Miss  Winkworth. 

The  subjects  treated  of  at  the  general  assembly 
were  the  admission  of  women  to  the  Post  Office  and 
Telegraph  Service  ;  the  results  of  the  working  of  F. 
Froebel's  principles  for  the  further  employment  of 
women  ;  of  "  Kindergarten  "  ;  the  finding  of  proper 
localities  for  the  exhibition  and  sale  of  women's 
handiwork  of  all  kinds ;  nursing  as  a  branch  of 
female  industry  ;  the  provision  of  better  schools  for 
girls,  and  what  had  been  done,  and  was  doing,  in 
England  for  female  education  and  at  similar  institu- 
tions. 

The  Princess  followed  all  the  discussions  with  the 
keenest  interest.  She  received  all  the  members  of 
the  different  societies  at  her  own  palace,  and  for  each 
she  had  a  kind  and  encouraeinof  word. 

None  of  those  present  will  ever  forget  the  sym- 
pathy and  encouragement  they  met  with  from  the 
Princess.  She  not  only  advised  and  suggested 
things,  but  herself  took  the  initiative  in  any  impor- 
tant question  which  came  under  her  notice.  The 
general  assembly  did  great  credit  to  itself  in  the  eyes 
of  Germany,  and,  indeed,  of  other  countries  as  well, 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  28/ 

and  its   members  were   encouraged  to  still  further 
exertions.  ;, 

The  Princess  herself  was  full  of  new  plans  for 
further  ofood  works.  At  the  be^innino^  of  November 
Prince  and  Princess  Louis  were  present  at  the  un- 
veiling of  a  monument  erected  to  the  memory  of  the 
Hessian  soldiers  who  fell  in  the  war  of  1870.  The 
Princess  herself  placed  some  wreaths  at  its  base. 
The  14th  of  December,  the  anniversary  of  the  Prince 
Consort's  death,  the  Princess  spent  with  her  sister 
the  Crown  Princess  of  Prussia,  who  had  come  to 
Darmstadt  from  Carlsruhe  for  the  purpose. 

Darmstadt,  January  21st. 

*  *  *  Louis  returns  to-morrow  from  Berlin. 
He  was  the  first  to  be  invested  by  the  Emperor,  and 
has  met  with  great  kindness.  He  was  very  glad  to 
have  been  there  with  dear  Arthur,  who  seems  to 
please  every  one. 

February  5th. 

*  *  *  It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  have  dear 
Arthur  here.  He  is  so  amiable,  civil,  and  nice,  and 
takes  interest  in  all  he  sees,  and  is  so  pleasant  to 
have  in  the  house.  His  visit  will  be  very  short,  as 
he  i>-ives  up  two  days  to  go  to  Baden. 

We  gave  small  suppers  on  two  evenings  for 
Arthur,  and  yesterday  evening  a  celebrated,  most 
excellent  violinist  played  quite  as  well  as  Joachim  : 
a  friend  of  his,  and  a  pupil  of  Spohr's.  This  after- 
noon he  is  going  to  play  some  of  Bach's  celebrated 
sonatas  with  and  to  me.  Arthur  enjoys  music  very 
much,  and  keeps  up  his  playing. 

There  is  a  dance  at  Uncle  Alexander's  to-night, 
on  Wednesday  a  Court  ball,  and  on  Friday  one  at 


283  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

my  parents-in-law.  I  can't  stand  the  heat  at  all  of 
an  evening,  and  the  rooms  are  very  hot.  Louis, 
who  has  an  awful  cold,  took  Arthur  to  see  the  bar- 
racks, as  all  military  things  give  him  pleasure. 

It  is  heavenly  sunny  weather,  having  been  quite 
dark  and  foggy  all  day  yesterday. 

April  20th. 

vc-  *  :^  Louis  has  been  in  Upper  Hesse  the  last 
four  days  shooting  Auerhdhne,  but  as  yet  unsuccess- 
fully. My  mother-in-law  is  very  grateful  for  your 
kind  message,  and  is  better,  though  weak.  She  has 
had  a  narrow  escape  from  fever. 

Frittie  has  again  endless  bruises,  with  lumps,  as 
Leo  used  to  have  ;  but  he  is  taking  iron,  as  Sir 
William  [Jenner]  wished,  and  is  strong  and  rosy  and 
well  otherwise.     I  trust  he  may  outgrow  this. 

June  17th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  dear  letter  and  kind  wishes 
for  the  birth  of  our  baby  '"' — a  nice  little  thing,  Hke 
Ella,  only  smaller  and  with  finer  features,  though  the 
nose  promises  to  be  long.     *     ^'     * 

Kind  Dr.  Hofmeister  was  most  attentive  ;  and  of 
course  having  him  was  far  pleasanter  than  not,  and 
we  owe  you  great  thanks  for  having  sent  him.  Mrs. 
Clarke  has  been  all  one  could  wish. 

Louis  wrote  as  soon  as  he  could,  but  this  last  week 
he  has  only  been  home  just  before  his  dinner,  and 
was  so  tired  that  he  invariably  fell  asleep.  He  has 
gone  out  at  six,  returning  at  twelve,  and  has  had 
to  be  out  before  four  in  the  afternoon,  returning 
at  eight.  He  is  away  again  to-day.  Until  the 
1 5th  of  September  his  duty  will  be  important,  and 
he  has  all    the    office    work   besides.     It  is  double 

*  Princess  Alix,  born  on  the  6th  of  June. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  JVOHK.  289 

this  year  to  what  it  usually  is,  as  all  people  and  things 
are  new  since  the  war. 

How  sad  the  loss  of  those  two  poor  children  is,^" 
and  the  sweet  litde  "  bairnie  "  of  three  !  The  un- 
fortunate mother  to  lose  two  in  so  dreadful  a  way ! 
I  am  sure  it  touched  Beatrice  much  to  see  the  poor 
little  one  ;  and  in  a  child  death  so  often  loses  every 
thino-  that  is  painful. 

We  think  of  calling-  our  litde  girl  "  Alix  "  (Alice 
they  pronounce  too  dreadfully  in  German)  "  Helena 
Louise  Beatrice,"  and,  if  Beatrice  may,  we  would 
much  like  to  have  her  as  godmother. 

Darmstadt,  June  24th. 

*  *  *  We  both  felt  so  truly  for  you  when  we 
heard  of  dear  Dr.  Macleod's  death,  knowing  what  a 
kind  and  valued  friend  of  yours  he  was,  and  how  fate 
seems  to  take  one  friend  after  another,  and  before 
age  can  claim  its  right.  He  indeed  deserves  his 
rest,  for  he  did  so  much  good  in  his  life  ! 

I  feel  rather  weaker  than  usual  this  time,  and  sit- 
ting and  walking,  though  only  a  few  steps,  tries  me 
a  good  deal.  I  was  out  for  half  an  hour  yesterday, 
and  I  think  the  air  will  do  me  good. 

Louis  left  at  half-past  five  this  morning,  and  v/ill 
be  back  by  seven,  I  hope,  this  evening  ;  to-morrow 
the  same. 

I  will  add  Vicky's  name  to  baby's  others,  as  you 
propose  ;  and  "  Alix  "  we  gave  for  "  Alice,"  as  they 
murder  my  name  here  :  "  Aliice  "  they  pronounce 
it,  so  we  thought  "  Alix "  could  not  so  easily  be 
spoilt. 

*  Two  children  who  were  carried  away  by  a  "  spate  "  while  playint^  at 
Monaltrie  Hum,  near  Balmoral  (tith  of  June,  1872),  and  swept  into  the  river 
Dee  and  drowned.  See  "  More  Leaves  from  a  Journal  of  a  Life  in  the 
Highlands,"  p.  156  et  scq. 


2gO  m  I  ACCESS  ALICE. 

Uncle  Alexander  is  coming  back  shortly,  and  says 
the  Empress  is  not  to  return  to  Russia  this  winter, 
and  will  be  sent  to  Italy  for  the  whole  winter. 

The  heat  has  been  quite  dreadful  ;  there  is  a  little 
air  to-day,  though. 

August  14th, 

*  *  *  Baby  is  like  Ella,  only  smaller  features, 
and  still  darker  eyes  with  very  black  lashes,  and 
reddish-brown  hair.  She  is  a  sweet,  merry  little 
person,  always  laughing,  with  a  deep  dimple  in  one 
cheek  just  like  Ernie. 

We  are  going  to  Frankfort  to-day  to  give  Uncle 
George  and  Fritz  Strelitz  a  luncheon  in  our  Palais 
there.  Helene  Renter  comes  to  us  for  a  month  to- 
morrow as  lady. 

I  hope  your  Edinburgh  visit  will  go  off  well.  You 
have  never  lived  in  Holyrood  since  1861,  have  you? 

How  I  shall  think  of  you  at  dear  Balmoral,  and 
this  time  capable  of  enjoying  it — not  like  last  time, 
when  you  had  to  suffer  so  much,  and  were  unable  to 
do  any  thing.  It  quite  spoiled  our  visit  to  see  you 
an  invalid.  Remember  me  to  all  old  friends  there — 
to  Brown's  kind  old  mother,  and  any  who  ask  after  us. 

I  shall  think  of  you  on  dear  Grandmama's  birth- 
day. She  is  never  forgotten  by  any  of  us,  and  lives 
on  as  a  dearly-cherished  memory  of  all  that  was  good 
and  loving,  and  so  kind.  My  children  have  her  pic- 
ture in  their  room,  and  I  often  tell  them  of  her. 

Kranichstein,  August  20th. 
I  am  very  grateful  for  your  telegrams  from  Edin- 
burgh, and  for  Flora's  [MacDonald]  letter.  It  in- 
terests me  so  much  to  know  what  you  did  there, 
and  I  am  very  glad  all  went  off"  so  well.  The  people 
will  have  been  too  delighted  to   have  had  you  in 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  29 1 

their  midst  again,  and  I  am  sure  you  enjoyed  the 
beauty  of  your  fine  northern  capital  anew  after  not 
havinof  seen  it  for  so  lonQf  a  time.  Beatrice  seems 
dehghted  with  what  she  saw.  I  recollect  those 
many  interesting  and  beautiful  spots  so  well.* 

The  1 8th  was  the  anniversary  of  the  dreadful 
battle  of  Gravelotte,  which  cost  so  many  lives,  to  our 
division  especially.  We  drove  into  town  to  the 
military  church,  which  was  full  of  officers  and  men, 
at  half-past  seven  in  the  morning,  and  thought  much 
of  the  friends  and  acquaintances  in  their  distant 
graves,  and  of  the  desolate  homes,  until  that  day  so 
bright.  My  heart  felt  too  full  when  we  were  singing 
£in  feste  Bit-rg,  and  I  had  my  husband  at  my  side, 
whom  the  Almighty  had  graciously  spared  to  my 
children  and  myself.  Gratitude  seems  barely  enough 
to  express  the  intense  depth  of  what  I  feel  when  I 
think  of  that  time,  and  how  again  and  again  I  long 
to  give  all  and  all  to  my  good  dear  Louis  and  to  our 
children,  for  he  is  all  that  is  good  and  true  and  pure. 

:■:  *  *  T\\Q  children  were  much  distressed  at 
the  sad  fate  of  my  poor  little  bullfinch,  who  piped 
beautifully.  Louis  had  caught  an  owl  and  put  it  in 
a  wooden  sort  of  a  cage  in  the  room  where  my  bird 
was.  In  the  night  it  broke  the  bars  and  got  loose 
and  tore  the  bullfinch's  tail  out,  and  the  poor  little 
thing  died  in  consequence. 

Of  our  quiet  country  life  there  is  little  to  tell.  We 
are  a  good  deal  out,  always  with  our  little  people, 
their  pets — dogs,  cats,  ponies,  donkeys ;  it  is  rather 
like  a  menagerie. 

ScHLOSS  Kranichstkin,  September  17th. 
*     ^     *     On  Sunday  the  Moriers  with  their  chil- 

*  For  an  account  of  this  visit  see  "  More  Leaves  from  a  Journal,"  p.  164 
et  seq. 


292  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

dren  were  with  us  for  the  day.  He  looked  so  white 
and  reduced,  walks  on  crutches,  but  retains,  as 
always,  his  spirits  and  his  lively  interest  for  all  things. 
He  is  a  kind,  warm-hearted  man,  to  whom  we  are 
both  attached.  Alice  feels  the  loss  of  her  poor 
sister  deeply,  and  says  her  father  has  been  so  cut  up 
about  it. 

We  took  them  to  races  close  by,  and  feared  we 
should  be  upset,  the  ground  being  very  heavy  and 
uneven,  and  I  was  in  terror  for  Mr.  Morier,  who  was 
in  my  carriage. 

On  the  9th  there  is  a  large  meeting  here  of  the 
different  associations  existing  throughout  Germany 
for  the  betterinof  of  women's  education  and  social 
position  (of  the  middle  class  especially  with  regard 
to  trade).  Some  English  ladies  are  coming,  some 
Swiss  and  Dutch.  It  will  last  four  days,  and  be  very 
fatiguing.  The  programme  I  arranged  with  my 
two  committees  here  and  the  gentlemen  at  Berlin, 
and  they  wanted  to  force  me  to  preside  ;  but  for  so 
large  an  assemblage — to  me  nearly  all  strangers — I 
postively  refused.  I  do  that  in  my  own  Associa- 
tions, but  not  where  there  are  so  many  strangers, 
who  all  want  to  talk,  and  all  to  cross  purposes.  It  is 
difficult  enough  to  keep  one's  own  people  in  order 
when  they  disagree.  I  hope  and  trust  I  have  pre- 
vented all  exaggerated  and  unfeminine  views  being 
brought  up,  which  to  me  are  dreadful.  These 
Associations,  if  not  reasonably  led,  tend  too  easily  to 
the  ridiculous.  My  Associations  take  a  great  deal 
of  my  time  and  thought,  and  require  a  good  amount 
of  study.  I  hope  and  trust  that  what  we  are  doing 
here  is  the  right  thing.  We  have  already  had  some 
satisfactory  results  in  the  class  of  the  workwomen, 
and  in  the  reform  of  the  schools  ;  but  there  are  many 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  IVORJC. 


293 


open  questions  yet,  which  I  hope  this  meeting,  with 
others  who  work  in  the  same  field,  may  help  us  to 
solve. 

Will  you  look  through  the  programme?  It  would 
please  me  so  much,  if  I  thought,  you  took  a  little 
interest  in  my  endeavors  here  in  a  very  small  way  to 
follow  in  a  slight  degree  part  of  dear  Papa's  great 
works  for  the  good  of  others. 

The  meetinor  at  Berlin  seems  to  have  eone  off 
very  well,  and  has  pleased  all  Germans,  who  hope 
for  a  consolidation  of  peace — so  necessary  to  them. 

We  have  an  entire  change  of  Ministry  at  Darm- 
stadt, the  first  since  1848,  which  fills  all  with  hopes 
for  an  improvement  in  all  the  affairs  of  the  Grand 
Duchy. 

Kranichstein,  September  25th. 

*  *  *  Ail  sympathize  with  you,  and  feel  what 
a  loss  to  you  darling  Aunt*  must  be — how  great 
the  gap  in  your  life,  how  painful  the  absence  of  that 
sympathy  and  love  which  united  her  life  and  yours 
so  closely. 

Darling,  kind  Mama,  I  feel  so  acutely  for  you, 
that  my  thoughts  are  incessantly  with  you,  and  my 
prayers  for  comfort  and  support  to  be  granted  you  in 
the  heavy  trial  are  warm  indeed.  You  have  borne  so 
many  hard  losses  with  courage  and  resignation,  that 
for  darling  Aunt's  sake  you  will  do  so  again,  and 
knowing  her  at  rest  and  peace  will  in  time  reconcile 
you  to  the  loss — all  the  more  as  her  passing  from 
this  world  to  another  was  so  touchingly  peaceful. 
Dear  Augusta  [Stanley]  wrote  to  me,  which  was  a 
great  consolation,  and  we  intend  going  to  Baden  to 
pay  our  last  token  of  respect  and  love. 

*  The  Queen's  half-sister,  Feodorc,  Princess  of  Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 
who  died  on  Uie  23d  of  September,  1872,  at  Baden-Baden. 


294  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Darmstadt,  October  13th. 

*  *  *  A  few  words  about  our  doings  here 
may  be  of  interest  to  you.  The  meeting  went  off 
well,  was  very  large,  the  subjects  discussed  were  to 
the  purpose  and  important,  and  not  one  word  of 
the  emancipated  political  side  of  the  question  was 
touched  upon  by  any  one.  Schools  (those  of  the 
lower,  middle,  and  higher  classes)  for  girls  was  the 
principal  theme ;  the  employment  of  women  for  post 
and  telegraph  offices,  etc.;  the  improvement  neces- 
sary in  the  education  of  nursery-maids,  and  the 
knowledge  of  mothers  in  the  treatment  of  litde  chil- 
dren ;  the  question  of  nurses  and  nursing  institutes. 

The  committees  of  the  fifteen  Associations  met 
Wedesday  afternoon,  and  in  the  evening  thirteen  of 
the  members  came  to  us  to  supper. 

The  public  meeting  on  the  following  day  lasted 
from  nine  to  two  with  a  small  interruption  ;  a  com- 
mittee meeting  in  the  afternoon  ;  and  that  evening 
all  the  members  and  guests  came  to  us — nearly  fifty 
in  number.  The  following  day  the  meetings  lasted 
even  longer,  and  the  English  ladies  were  kind 
enough  to  speak — only  think,  old  Miss  Carpenter, 
on  all  relating  to  women's  work  in  England  (she  is 
our  guest  here).  Her  account  of  the  Queen's  Insti- 
tute at  Dublin  was  most  interesting.  Miss  Hill 
(also  our  guest),  about  the  boarding-out  system  for 
orphans.  Miss  C.  Winkworth,  about  higher  educa- 
tion in  England.  She  mentioned  also  the  new  in- 
stitution to  which  Louise  now  belongs,  and  is  a 
member  of  it  herself.  The  ladies  all  spoke  very 
well ;  the  German  ones  remarkably  so. 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  work  to  finish  after- 
ward, and  a  good  many  members  to  see.  They  came 
from   all    parts    of  Germany — many   kind-hearted, 


AT  HOME  AND  AT  WORK.  295 

noble,  self  denying  women.  The  presence  of  the 
English  ladies — above  all,  of  one  such  as  Miss  Car- 
penter, who  has  done  such  good  works  for  the  refor- 
mation of  convicts — greatly  enhanced  the  importance 
of  the  meeting,  and  her  great  experience  has  been 
of  value  to  us  all.  She  means  still  to  give  a  lecture 
on  India  and  the  state  of  the  native  schools  there, 
before  leaving  us. 

I  have  still  so  much  work  in  hand,  that  I  fear  my 
letter  is  hurried  and  ill- written,  but  I  hope  you  will 
kindly  excuse  this. 

To-morrow  I  am  taking  Miss  Carpenter  to  all  our 
different  schools,  that  she  may  see  hov/  the  different 
systems  in  use  work.  Some  are  good,  but  none 
particularly  so;  there  is  much  to  improve. 

Louis  is  gone  to  Mayence  to-day  for  the  inaugu- 
ration of  the  Memorial  which  the  town  has  erected  to 
the  memory  of  dear  excellent  Waldemar  Holstein, 
for  so  many  years  its  beloved  Governor. 

Darmstadt,  October  24th. 
You  must  indeed  miss  dear  Aunt  much,  and  feel 
your  thoughts  drawn  to  her,  whose  precious 
intercourse  was  such  a  solace  and  comfort  to  you. 
It  is  nice  for  you  to  have  Louise  a  little  to  your- 
self.    =5=     «-     * 

You  ask,  if  my  mother-in-law  talks  with  me  about 
the  different  woman's  work  in  which  I  am  interested. 
Of  course  she  does.  We  are  so  intimate  too^ether, 
that  even  where  we  differ  in  opinion  we  yet  talk  of 
every  thing  freely,  and  her  opinion  is  of  the  greatest 
value  to  me.  She  had  ever  been  a  most  kind, 
true,  and  loving  mother,  whom  I  respect  and  love 
more  and  more.  She  was  much  pleased  and  inter- 
ested in  the  success  of  the  meeting,  but  is  of  course 


296  PJ?INCESS  ALICE. 

as  adverse  as  myself  to  all  extreme  views  on  such 
subjecLS. 

I  have  joined  to  my  Nursing  Institute  an  Associa- 
tion for  watching  over  the  orphans  who  are  boarded- 
out  by  the  State  into  families,  where  some  poor 
children  are  unhappy  and  ill-used.  The  use  of  such 
meetings  as  this  one  was  consists  mainly  in  the 
interchange  of  experience  made  in  the  different 
branches  in  other  places,  which  it  is  impossible  to 
carry  on  by  correspondence. 

The  schools  are  entirely  different  throughout  Ger- 
many— good  and  indifferent ;  and  those  here  do  not 
count  among  the  best,  as  every  thing,  through  the 
long  misrule  of  the  late  Government,  is  not  what  it 
ought  to  be. 

Uncle  Louis  has  a  new  Ministry  now,  which  gives 
every  one  cause  for  hope. 

Darmstadt,  November  3d. 

*  "'  *  The  weather  is  awful  here  ;  the  wind 
sounds  in  the  house  as  if  one  were  at  sea. 

This  article  was  sent  me  the  other  day,  and 
though  I  half  fear  sQ&mmg  nnbeschciden  [overbold], 
yet,  as  you  spoke  of  your  feelings  about  women's 
meetings  the  other  day,  I  venture  to  send  it. 

Ella  is  writing  to  you  herself  to  thank  you  for  the 
lovely  bracelet,  which  gave  me  as  much  pleasure  as 
it  did  her.  To  think  that  she  isalready  eight!  She  is 
handsomer  than  she  was,  and  a  dear  child.  *  *  * 
They  all  give  me  pleasure,  dear  children,  though  of 
course  they  have  as  many  faults  as  others  ;  but  they 
are  truthful  and  contented,  and  very  affectionate. 
Having  them  much  with  me,  watching  and  guiding 
their  education — which,  through  our  quiet  and  regular 
life,  is  possible — I  am  able  to  know  and  understand 
their  different  characters,  for  not  one  is  like  the 
other. 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  297 

Darmstadt,  November  12th. 

*  *  *  We  have  the  same  weather  here  which 
you  seem  to  have,  which  for  our  long  journey  was 
not  pleasant.  We  took  nearly  twelve  hours  going, 
and  as  much  returning  from  Metz.  For  the  inaugu- 
ration itself  the  weather  held  up.  The  roads  were 
dreadful,  and  the  wide  plateau  looked  dreary  and 
sad — dotted  all  over  with  graves,  like  an  enormous 
churchyard. 

The  memorial  is  a  dead  lion  in  bronze,  on  a  plain 
pedestal,  bearing  an  inscription  on  black  marble  in 
front,  and  at  the  back  all  the  names.  Deputations 
of  officers  and  men  were  present,  besides  the 
generals,  etc.,  from  Metz.  The  clergyman  of  the  di- 
vision read  the  prayers,  preached  a  short  and  touch- 
ing sermon,  and  the  band  played  a  chorale.  Louis 
spoke  a  few  words,  ending  with  the  usual  "  Hoch" 
for  the  Emperor  and  Grand  Duke.  I  then  laid  some 
wreaths  at  the  foot  of  the  Memorial  from  Louis' 
parents  and  ourselves,  and  we  drove  back  to  Metz 
across  the  different  battlefields.  The  villages  are  all 
built  up  again,  and  re-inhabited,  so  that  few  traces  of 
the  dreadful  struggle  remain. 

*  *  *  The  Empress  of  Russia  wrote  the  other 
day  that  the  alliance  with  Marie  *  of  Mecklenburg  is 
quite  impossible,  as  she  won't  change  her  religion. 
I  hope  all  other  German  Princesses  will  follow  her 
example. 

Darmstadt,  December  12th. 
For  the  14th  I  write  a  few  words.     From  year  to 
year  they  can  but  express  the  same  ;  the  grief  at  the 
loss  of  such  a  father,  such  a  man,  grows  with  me, 

*  Daughter  of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  Subsequently 
she  did  marry  the  Grand  Duke  Vladamir  of  Russia,  as  she  was  allowed  not 
to  change  her  religion.  This  was  the  first  time  such  a  thing  was  permitted 
in  Russia. 


298  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

and  leaves  a  gap  and  a  want  that  nothing  on  earth 
can  ever  fill  up. 

The  deep,  intense  sympathy  for  what  you,  my 
poor  dear  Maina,  went  through  then  and  since,  in 
consequence  of  your  bereavement,  remains  as  vivid 
as  ever.  God  heard  our  prayers,  and  sustained  you, 
and  through  the  healing  hand  of  time  softened  your 
grief,  and  retained  you  for  us,  who  were  too  young 
and  too  numerous  to  stand  alone  ! 

That  our  good  sweet  Alix  should  have  been  spared 
this  terrible  grief,  when  this  time  last  year  it  seemed 
so  imminent,  fills  my  heart  with  gratitude  for  her 
dear  sake,  as  for  yours,  his  children,  and  ours.  That 
time  is  as  indelibly  fixed  on  my  memory  as  that  of 
1 86 1,  when  the  witnessing  of  your  grief  rent  my 
heart  so  deeply.  The  14th  will  now  be  a  day  of 
mixed  recollections  and  feelings  to  us — a  day  hal- 
lowed in  our  family,  when  one  great  spirit  ended  his 
work  on  earth — though  his  work  can  never  die,  and 
generations  will  grow  up  and  call  his  name  blessed 
— and  when  another  was  left  to  fulfil  his  duty  and 
mission,  God  grant,  for  the  welfare  of  his  own  family 
and  of  thousands.* 

I  have  not  time  to  write  to  dearest  Bertie  and  Alix 
to-day;  and  as  I  love  to  think  of  them  with  you  on 
the  14th,  so  I  would  ask  you  to  let  them  share  these 
lines  full  of  sympathy  for  them,  letting  a  remem- 
brance of  me,  who  suffered  with  them,  mingle  with 
your  united  prayers  and  thanks  on  this  solemn  day ! 

My  little  Fritz  is  at  length  better,  but  white  and 
thin,  in  consequence  of  his  illness. 

Christmas  Day. 

Your  dear  presents  gave  me  so  much  pleasure  ;  I 

*  Who  would  have  thought  that  only  six  years  later  the  Princess  herself 
was  to  rejoin  her  father  on  the  same  day  ? 


A  T  HOME  AND  A  T  WORK.  299 

thank  you  again  and  again  for  them.  The  precious 
souvenir  of  dear  Aunt,  and  my  Ernie's  picture  de- 
light me.  I  assQre  you,  nothing  has  given  me  more 
pleasure  this  Christmas. 

Let  me  also  thank  you,  in  Louis'  and  the  children's 
names  (meanwhile,  until  they  do  so  themselves),  for 
your  kind  gifts  to  them.  It  makes  us  all  so  happy 
and  grateful,  to  be  always  so  kindly  remembered. 

The  boys  were  well  enough  to  enjoy  Christmas, 
though  rather  pale  and  pulled — above  all,  sweet 
Ernie. 

We  gave  all  our  servants  presents — the  whole 
household  and  stable — under  the  Christmas-tree, 
which  we  made  for  the  children  ;  and  when  the  tree 
is  divided,  the  children  of  all  our  servants  come  and 
share  it  with  ours.  It  keeps  the  household  as  a 
family,  which  is  so  important.  We  have  fifty  people 
to  give  to  ! 

Dear  Beatrice's  wishes  (cards)  pleased  the  children 
very  much,  but  Frittie  lamented  for  a  letter  from 
Auntie  "for  Frittie."     He  talks  quite  well  now. 

On  Saturday  we  shall  go  for  the  day  to  Vicky.  I 
don't  like  leaving  the  boys  for  longer  yet.  I  am  so 
glad  Vicky  gave  such  a  flattering  account  of  baby. 
She  is  quite  the  personification  of  her  nickname 
"  Sunny  " — much  like  Ella,  but  a  smaller  head,  and 
livelier,  with  Ernie's  dimple  and  expression. 


TRIALS. 


1873-1S77. 


"  May  the  hour  of  trial  and  grief  bring  its  bles'^ing  with  it,  and  not  have 
come  in  vain  !  The  day  passes  so  quickly,  when  one  can  do  good  and  make 
others  happy — and  one  leaves  always  so  much  undone."     {Augiist  2,  1873.) 

1873. 

THIS  year  began  brightly  and  happily  to  the 
Prince  and  Princess,  for  little  Prince  Fritz, 
whose  health  had  often  given  rise  to  serious  anxiety, 
seemed  stronger  and  better.  In  March  the  Princess 
at  last  was  able  to  carry  out  her  long-cherished  wish 
to  visit  Italy.  She  travelled  incognita,  accompanied 
by  Miss  Hardinge  and  Hofrath  Ruland.  The  jour- 
ney was  made  in  a  comparatively  short  time,  but  was 
thoroughly  successful.  The  Princess  travelled  from 
Darmstadt  by  Munich  and  the  Brenner  Pass  to  Flor- 
ence, where  she  spent  three  days,  and  from  there 
went  straight  on  to  Rome. 

During  her  stay  in  the  "eternal  city"  she  em- 
ployed her  mornings  in  visiting  the  many  beautiful 
picture-galleries,  the  churches,  and  the  ruins  of 
ancient  Rome.  In  the  afternoons  she  made  longer 
excursions  into  the  neighborhood,  visiting  the  more 

distant  churches  in  the  Campagna,    as  well  as  the 

300 


TRIALS.  301 

celebrated  villas  of  Albani,  Ludovisi,  Borghese,  etc. 
She  used  to  spend  her  evenings  in  talking  over  and 
discussing  all  the  objects  of  interest  she  had  seen 
during  the  day.  The  Princess  with  her  wonderful 
power  of  observation  was  able  to  do  a  large  amount 
of  sight-seeing  in  a  comparatively  short  time.  She 
was  accompanied  by  Monsignore  Howard  (now  Car- 
dinal Howard)  over  St.  Peter's  ;  and  he  showed  her 
many  interesting  parts  of  this  glorious  edifice,  which 
in  general  are  never  shown  to  Protestants.  At  the 
"  Farnesina,"  the  private  palace  of  Count  Bermudez, 
she  was  received  and  conducted  over  it  by  the  Count 
himself.  The  ruins  of  Rome  which  interested  the 
Princess  the  most  were  those  which  dated  from  the 
time  of  the  first  Christians,  as  far  back  as  the  early 
mediaeval  period,  the  catacombs  of  "  San  Callisto," 
and  the  curious  church  of"  San  Clemente."  Amonest 
the  ceremonies  of  the  "  Holy  Week  "  the  Princess 
was  gready  struck  by  "  The  Lamentations,"  whilst 
others  made  her  ask,  as  all  Protestants  do,  how  the 
pure  simple  Christian  religion  could  possibly  be  so 
misrepresented.  After  attending  all  the  grand  cere- 
monies of  the  Church  of  Rome,  the  quiet  service  at 
the  German  Embassy  made  a  most  happy  and  peace- 
ful impression  on  the  Princess.  She  visited  the 
Pope,  Pius  IX.,  who  received  her  with  his  usual 
winning  kindness."'^'  She  also  went  to  the  Quirinal 
to  pay  her  respects  to  King  Victor  Emanuel,  and  to 
the   Crown    Princess   of  Italy,   Princess  Margherita. 

*  He  said  to  the  Princess  :  "  La  benediction  d'un  vieillard  fait  toujours  du 
bien." 


302  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

The  two  Princesses  drove  together  through  Rome 
on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  of  its  "  birthday," 
and  witnessed  the  illumination  of  the  Capitol, 
Forum,  and  Colosseum. 

On  the  13th  of  April  the  Princess  made  a  brief 
excursion  to  Sorrento  by  way  of  Naples,  where  her 
father-in-law  and  the  Empress  of  Russia  were  stay- 
ing. On  the  24th  of  April  she  left  with  her  suite  for 
Florence,  travelling  by  way  of  Perugia  and  Lake 
Thrasimene,  through  the  valley  of  the  Arno.  As 
she  had  but  little  time,  she  was  only  able  to  visit  the 
ofalleries  of  the  Uffizi  and  Pitti  Palaces,  the  tombs 
of  the  Medici  in  San  Lorenzo,  the  Convent  of  St. 
Mark,  the  Cathedral,  the  Church  of  Santa  Croce,  and 
the  "  Museo  Nazionale." 

The  Princess  left  Italy  on  the  28th  April,  reaching 
Darmstadt  on  the  2d  of  May. 

Her  journey  had  been  one  of  thorough  enjoyment, 
and  she  felt  deeply  grateful  that  she  had  at  last  been 
able  to  see  with  her  own  eyes  those  glorious  works 
of  art,  which  from  her  childhood  she  had  only  been 
able  to  picture  dimly  to  herself. 

The  joy  of  her  reunion  with  her  family  was,  alas  ! 
not  to  be  of  lonof  duration.  Prince  Louis  had  been 
obliged  to  leave  Darmstadt  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  29th  of  May  to  inspect  the  troops  in  Upper 
Hesse,  leaving  the  Princess  still  in  bed,  exhausted 
from  the  great  fatigue  of  her  Italian  journey.  The 
two  little  Princes  came  to  wish  her  "  good-morning," 
and  by  her  wish  were  left  in  her  room  by  the  nurse. 


TRIALS.  303 

The  children  soon  began  to  play,  as  was  their  wont, 
running  in  and  out  of  the  room  into  the  adjacent 
one,  and  looking  from  one  window  and  then  from 
another.  Prince  Ernest  having  run  into  the  next 
room,  the  Princess  followed  him,  leaving  Prince 
Fritz  in  her  bedroom.  During  her  almost  momen- 
tary absence  he  fell  out  of  the  window  on  to  the 
stone  terrace  below.  Whether  he  had  leaned  too 
far  out  of  it  and  overbalanced  himself,  or  whether  in 
running  fast  throuofh  the  room  to  the  window  to  look 
for  his  brother  he  could  not  stop  himself  and  fell  from 
it,  no  one  actually  knows.  He  was  picked  up  in- 
sensible, and  died  a  few  hours  afterward  in  the  arms 
of  his  distracted  mother.  Effusion  of  blood  on  the 
brain  caused  by  the  fall  ended  that  young  and  bright 
little  life.  The  loss  of  this  unusually-gifted  and  be- 
loved child  was  a  blow  to  the  mother  from  which 
she  never  recovered.  Her  married  life  had  till  then 
been  such  a  happy  one,  that  this  first  sorrow  came 
on  her  with  redoubled  force. 

On  the  evening  of  Whitsunday,  June  ist,  the  be- 
loved little  Prince  was  taken  to  his  last  resting-place, 
at  the  Rosenhohe  (the  Grand  Ducal  Mausoleum),  his 
parents  and  sisters  and  brother  being  present.  It 
was  very  long  before  the  Princess  at  all  recovered 
from  the  terrible  shock  of  the  death  of  her  child, 
though  the  sympathy  shown  to  her  by  her  family 
and  friends — indeed,  by  all — greatly  comforted  and 
helped  her. 

In  the   autumn  the  Prince  and  Princess  went  to 


304  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Heiden  in  Appenzell  for  a  little  change.  From 
there  they  paid  a  visit  to  the  Prince  of  Hohenzollern 
at  his  castle  of  the  Weinburg.  At  the  end  of  No- 
vember they  went  to  England  with  their  three 
youngest  children,  and  remained  there  till  the  23d 
of  December,  when  they  returned  to  Darmstadt. 

Darmstadt,  January  12th, 
*  *  *  We  were  both  much  shocked  to  hear  of 
the  death  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  and  I  must  say 
grieved;  personally  he  wasso.amiable,andshe  is  much 
to  be  pitied.  That  he  should  die  an  exile  in  Eng- 
land and,  as  Louis  Phillippe  did,  is  most  striking.  In 
England  the  sympathy  shown  must  touch  the  poor 
Empress,  and,  as  I  telegraphed,  we  should  be  so 
grateful  to  you,  if  you  would  kindly  be  the  medium 
through  which  both  of  us  would  like  to  express  to 
her  how  much  we  feel  for  her.  How  proud  you 
must  ever  be,  in  feeling  that  your  country  is  the  one 
always  able  to  offer  a  home  and  hospitality  for  those 
driven  away  from  their  own  countries  !  England  is 
before  all  others  in  that ;  and  its  warm  sympathy  for 
those  who  are  in  misfortune  is  such  a  generous  feel- 
ing- 

Fannie  Baillie's  Victoria  is  such  a  nice  girl.  She 
comes  to  our  children  every  Saturday,  and  is  not 
above  playing  at  dolls  with  them,  though  she  is  so 
much  older.  There  are  two  rather  nice  little  English 
girls,  daughters  of  the  chaplin  here,  who  come  to 
them. 

February  ist. 

If  any  one  will  feel  with  us,  I  know  you  will  do  so 

most.     Since  three  days,  with  an  interruption  of  one 

day,  poor  Frittie  has  been  bleeding  incessantly  from 

a  slight  cut  on  his   ear,  which  was  nearly  healed. 


TRIALS.  305 

Since  yesterday  evening  we  cannot  stop  it.  All  the 
usual  remedies  \vere  used,  but  as  yet  unavailing. 
Just  now  the  place  has  been  touched  again  with 
caustic  and  tightly  bound,  after  we  had  with  great 
trouble  got  rid  of  the  quantity  of  dried  blood  from 
his  hair,  ear,  neck,  etc.  He  is  horrified  at  the  sight 
of  so  much  blood,  but  shows  great  strength  as  yet 
in  spite  of  so  great  a  loss.  He  is  of  course  very 
irritable,  and,  as  he  must  not  scream,  one  has  to  do 
whatever  he  wishes,  which  will  spoil  him  dreadfully. 
I  own  I  was  much  upset  when  I  saw  that  he  had  this 
tendency  to  bleed,  and  the  anxiety  for  the  future, 
even  if  he  gets  well  over  this,  will  remain  for  years 
to  come.  All  have  their  trials,  one  or  another,  and, 
please  God,  we  shall  bear  whatever  is  sent  without 
complaining.  To  see  one's  own  child  suffer  is  for  a 
mother  a  great  trial.  With  what  pleasure  one  would 
change  places  with  the  little  one,  and  bear  its  pain ! 

February  6th. 

*  *  *  In  the  summer  Fritz  had  a  violent 
attact  of  dysentery,  which  was  so  prevalent  at  Darm- 
stadt, and  off  and  on  for  two  months  it  continued, 
until  Scodand  stopped  it ;  and  this  illness  made  him 
sensitive  and  delicate. 

•■i:  *  *  What  has  caused  him  such  great  suffer- 
ing has  been  that,  what  with  the  use  of  caustic,  the 
tight  bandaging  and  the  iron,  a  quantity  of  small 
gatherings  formed  on  his  cheek  and  neck,  causing 
such  an  amount  of  pain  that  he  could  not  remain  in 
bed  or  anywhere  quiet  for  the  two  first  days  and 
nights.  Now  they  arc  drying  off,  the  itching  is  such 
that  he  don't  know  what  to  do  with  himself,  and  we 
have  the  greatest  difficulty  in  keeping  him  from  rub- 
binf  or  scratchincf  himself.  The  want  of  sleep  through 
pain,  etc.,  has  excited  him  very  much,  so  that  he  has 


306  FRIiVCESS  ALICE. 

been  very  difficult  to  manage.  The  bandages  of 
course  cannot  be  removed,  and  great  care  will  be 
taken  when  they  are  removed,  lest  bleeding  should 
re-commence.  He  has  been  out  twice  a  day  as  usual 
all  along,  and  his  skin  never  quite  lost  its  pinkness  and 
mottled  appearance  ;  all  of  which  are  signs  that  he 
has  good  blood  and  to  spare,  else  he  would  look 
worse  and  have  shown  weakness,  which  after  all  he 
did  not.     *     *     ^ 

He  speaks  well  for  his  age,  and  is,  alas  !  very  wild, 
so  that  it  will  be  impossible  to  keep  him  from  having 
accidents.     *     *     * 

*  *  *  I  have  been  playing  some  lovely  things 
(very  difficult)  of  Chopin  lately,  which  I  know  you 
would  admire. 

Darmstadt,  February  19th, 

My  best  thanks  for  your  dear  letter !  That  I  for- 
got to  thank  you  at  once  for  dear  Grandmama's  very 
beautiful  print  *  came  from  my  having  the  litho- 
graph of  that  picture  in  my  room  always  before  me,  and, 
though  the  print  far  surpasses  it,  I  am  so  fond  of  the 
lithograph,  that  I  forgot  the  print  at  the  moment  I 
was  writing  to  you.  Before  that  dear  picture,  the 
painting  of  which  I  recollect  so  well,  my  children 
often  sit,  and  I  tell  them  of  her  who  was  and  ever 
will  be  so  inexpressibly  dear  to  us  all.  In  the  school- 
room, in  my  sitting-room,  in  the  nursery,  there  is, 
with  the  pictures  of  you  and  dear  Papa,  always  one  of 
dear  Grandmama,  and,  in  my  room  and  the  school- 
room, the  Duke  of  Kent  also. 

My  sitting-room  has  only  prints  and  lithographs, 
all  Winterhalters,  of  the  family  :  you  and  Papa,  your 
receiving  the  Sacrament  at  the  Coronation,  Raphael's 

*  A  private  plate,  engraved  for  the  Queen  by  the   late  Mr.  Francis  Holl, 
from  a  picture  by  Winterhalter. 


TRIALS.  307 

"  Disputa"  and  "  Bella  Jardinierre,"  and  the  lovely 
litde  engraving  of  yourself  from  Winterhalter's  pic- 
ture in  Papa's  room  at  Windsor.* 

Vicky  is  coming  here  on  Wednesday.  The  Grand 
Duke  of  Weimar  has  kindly  allowed  Mr.  Ruland  to 
join  us  as  cicerone  :  which  for  galleries,  etc.,  is  very 
necessary,  and  we  take  no  courier.  Rome  is  our 
first  halting-place  in  Italy,  and  for  years  it  has  been 
my  dream  and  wish  to  be  in  that  wonderful  city, 
where  the  glorious  monuments  of  antiquity  and  of 
the  Middle  Ages  carry  one  back  to  those  marvel- 
lous times. 

I  am  learning  Italian,  and  studying  the  history  and 
art  necessary  to  enable  me,  in  the  short  time  we 
have,  to  see  and  understand  the  finest  and  most  im- 
portant monuments.  I  am  so  entirely  absorbed  and 
interested  in  these  studies  just  now,  that  I  have  not 
much  time  for  other  things.  My  father-in-law,  per- 
haps Princess  Charles  too,  will  be  with  Aunt  Marie 
of  Russia  at  Sorrento  then.  William  will  probably 
join  us  at  Rome  ;  he  is  quite  a  connoisseur  in  art, 
and  a  good  historian,  quite  at  home  in  Rome,  about 
which  he  raves.  I  must  say  that  I  look  forward  im- 
mensely to  this  journey ;  it  opens  a  whole  new  life 
to  one.     *     *     * 

Kanne  has  made  all  arrangements  for  us  at  Rome. 
We  shall  leave  here  about  tlie  1 8th  of  March. 

Rome,  Hotel  Allemagne,  March  27th. 

*     *     *     We  left  the  dear  children  well,  but  very 

sorry  at  parting.     The  two   days  at   Munich  were 

most  interesting.     The  National  Museum  in  its  way 

surpasses  any  I   have  ever   seen,  and  in  originals  is 

*  Also  engraved  by  the  late  Mr.  Francis  Holl  for  the  Queen  from  a  pic- 
ture given  by  Her  Majesty  to  the  Prince  Consort  on  the  26th  of  August, 
1843. 


308  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

richer  even  than  South  Kensington.  Aunt  Marie- 
chen  was  very  kind  and  dear  ;  the  .  Moriers  very 
amiable  hosts,  and  we  met  some  interesting  people 
there.  Two  hours  before  we  left,  after  eight  in  the 
evening,  Ludwig  and  Otto  '*'  came  to  us  and  re- 
mained some  time. 

The  Brenner,  over  which  we  came,  was  covered 
with  snow — most  beautiful  scenery,  like  St.  Moritz 
in  the  Engadine.  The  journey  was  very  fatiguing. 
We  had  a  morning  for  Bologna,  and  had  to  wait 
three  hours  at  Florence  for  the  night  train — time 
enough  to  drive  round  and  in  the  town,  which  is 
most  lovely.  What  trees,  mountains,  colors !  then 
the  fine  buildings ! 

The  following  morning  at  six  we  reached  Rome. 
The  sun  was  bright,  the  distance  blue — the  grand 
ruins  dark  and  sharp  against  the  sky,  cypresses,  stone 
pines,  large  cork  oaks,  making  up  such  a  beautiful 
picture.  Every  day  I  admire  the  scenery  more  and 
more  ;  every  little  bit  of  architecture,  broken  or 
whole,  with  a  glimpse  of  the  Campagna,  a  picturesque 
dirty  peasant  and  a  dark  tree  close  by,  is  a  picture 
in  itself  which  one  would  like  to  frame  and  hang  up 
in  one's  room.  It  is  too,  too  beautiful !  To  tell  you 
all  we  have  seen  and  are  seeing  would  tire  you. 
Bertie  and  Arthur's  descriptions,  too,  so  lately  have 
told  you  the  same. 

The  Via  Appia,  the  grand  old  road  lined  with 
ruins  of  splendid  tombs,  leading  from  Albano  through 
the  Campagna  to  Rome,  along  which  St.  Paul  went, 
and  the  great  kings  and  emperors  made  their  trium- 
phal entries,  is  a  fit  one  to  lead  to  such  a  city  as 
Rome,  which  ruled  the  world. 

The   antique    monuments,    those    of  the   Middle 

*  The  King  of  Bavaria  and  his  brother,  first  cousins  of  Prince  Louis  of 
Hesse, 


TRIALS.  309 

Ages,  are  so  magnificent  and  interesting  that  as  yet 
I  don't  know  which  to  mention  first  or  admire  most! 

Our  incognito'  did  not  last  long  (though  even  now 
we  maintain  it),  for  the  Crown  Princess  heard  of  us 
and  came  to  see  us,  as  did  the  Crown  Prince,  and  we 
had  to  go  to  the  Quirinal,  a  morning  visit  without 
entourage. 

Palm  Sunday,  Rome,  April  6th. 

*  *  *  We  saw  the  beginning  of  mass  and 
blessing  of  the  palms  in  St.  Peter's  this  morning, 
with  a  procession  and  beautiful  singing.  Whilst  the 
procession,  with  part  of  the  choristers,  go  outside  the 
church,  some  remain  within,  and  they  respond  to 
each  other,  which  produces  a  very  striking  effect. 
In  spite  of  the  bad  style  inside  of  St.  Peter's,  as  a 
whole  it  produces  a  marvellous  effect  through  its 
wonderful  size  and  richness  of  decoration. 

I  saw  two  convents  yesterday  :  the  Sepolte  Vive, 
which  Bertie  and  Alix  saw,  and  where  the  nuns  asked 
much  after  him,  and  said  that  he  was  molto  amabile ; 
and  another  equally  strict  one,  but  not  austere, 
where  the  Superior  told  me  that  Aunt  Feodore  with 
Princess  Hohenzollern  had  paid  them  a  visit.  Mon- 
signore  Howard  was  the  only  gentleman  with  me 
and  the  ladies,  as  they  never  see  any  men.  Their 
idea  is,  that  they  spend  the  whole  of  their  life  in  con- 
templation and  prayer,  so  as  to  pray  for  those  who 
cannot  pray  for  themselves. 

The  museums  of  the  Vatican  and  of  the  Capitol, 
with  their  enormous  collection  of  antiques,  are  very 
fine.  The  celebrated  Venus,  Apollo  Belvidere,  the 
Torso  (which  Michael  Angelo  admired  so  much,  and 
was  taken  to  touch  when  he  could  no  more  see  it), 
the  wounded  Gladiator,  etc.,  are  there.  The  Sistine 
Chapel,  Vv'ith   Michael  Angelo's  frescoes,  which  are 


3IO  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

certainly  the  most  marvellous  pieces  of  painting  and 
conception,  is  very  dark,  and  the  frescoes  are  suffer- 
ing much  from  the  smoke,  dust,  etc.  Raphael's 
Stanze  are  far  better  preserved,  and  lighter  than  I 
had  expected,  and  of  such  beauty  ! 

I  thought  so  often  and  so  much  of  dear  Papa, 
when  I  saw  the  originals  of  all  the  pictures  he  so 
much  admired  and  took  such  interest  in.  How  this 
alone  fascinates  me  I  cannot  tell  you.  In  these  gal- 
leries and  churches  there  is  only  too  much  to  be 
seen,  besides  the  antique  ruins,  etc.  You  would  be 
terrified  to  see  how  full  our  day  is  from  before  nine. 
Mr.  Ruland  is  an  excellent  cicerone  for  pictures  and 
sculptures.  William  is  with  us  here  since  last  Sun- 
day. 

We  are  going  to  the  Villa  Ludovisi  this  afternoon. 
The  gardens  of  the  Villa  Doria  Pamfili  are  most 
beautiful  :  the  terraces  there  remind  me  of  Osborne. 
I  can  see  in  many  things  where  dear  Papa  got  his 
ideas  from  for  Osborne  and  for  his  decorations, 
which  Professor  Gruner  understood  so  well  to  carry 
out. 

Many  thanks  for  your  having  told  Lady  Churchill 
to  send  me  an  account  of  your  opening  of  the  Park.* 
I  am  glad  that  all  went  off  so  well,  and  that  you  were 
not  the  worse  for  it. 

I  have  quite  refused  going  to  Naples.  We  shall 
arrange  probably  to  go  for  two  days  to  Castellamare 
(one  hour  from  Naples)  ;  from  thence  to  Sorrento 
and  Pompeii,  and  return  here.  As  yet  it  is  not  hot 
here  at  all. 

Rome,  April  9th. 

Let  me  thank  you  for  your  letter  written  on  our 

*  The  opening  of  Victoria  Park,  in  the  East  end  of  London,  on  the  2d  of 
April. 


TRIALS.  3 1 1 

dear  Victoria's  birthday.  I  have  never  been  away 
from  her  on  her  birthday  before,  and  though  we  see 
such  fine  interestrng  things,  yet  I  feel  very  homesick 
for  the  dear  children  always.  In  three  weeks  or  less 
I  shall  see  them  again.  I  look  forward  all  the  time 
with  perfect  impatience,  as  I  am  so  rarely  separated 
from  them,  and  we  live  so  much  together.  Every 
other  day  Fraulein  Kitz  and  Orchard  write,  so  that 
I  have  news  daily. 

Louis'  father  wrote  me  to-day,  as  his  sister  asks 
us  to  her  house  at  Sorrento  for  one  or  two  nicrhts 
for  the  1 2th  ;  but  as  I  was  rather  deranged  from  a 
sick  headache  yesterday,  I  shall  wait  a  day  before 
we  decide.     It  is  wet  and  quite  cold  to-day. 

We  visited  San  Clemente  two  days  ago,  and 
Father  Mulooly  took  us  through  the  three  churches — 
one  under  the  other.  The  antique  one  was  full  of 
water,  and  we  walked  about  on  rickety  planks,  each 
with  a  lighted  taper,  as  it  is  quite  dark  there.  It  is 
most  curious,  and  the  old  paintings  on  the  walls  tell- 
ing the  legend  of  St.  Clement  are  wonderfully  full  of 
expression  and  feeling  for  the  time  they  were  done. 

Rome,  April  19th. 

*  *  *  Our  visit  to  Sorrento  went  off  well. 
We  got  there  at  one  on  Monday  morning  for  lunch- 
eon. The  sun  had  given  me  a  dreadful  headache, 
which  ended  in  sickness,  so  that  I  could  not  leave 
my  room.  Marie  sat  with  me,  and  was  very  dear 
and  kind.  The  next  day,  she  and  my  Aunt,  who 
seems  tired  and  dispirited,  had  bad  headaches.  We 
went  with  my  father-in-law  and  some  of  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  on  the  following  afternoon  in  the 
Empress'  yacht  to  Capri,  close  by,  to  see  the  blue 
grotto. 

The  Bay  of  Naples,  particularly  seen  from   Sor- 


312  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

rento,  is  most  lovely — like  a  beautiful  dream — the 
colors,  the  outlines  are  so  perfect. 

We  breakfasted  toeether  in  the  morninor  with 
Aunt  and  Marie,  and  on  Tuesday  we  took  our  leave. 

We  shall  go  to  Florence  the  23d,  (the  first  station 
homeward)  ;  remain  there  three  or  four  days  ;  one 
night  at  Verona,  and  then  home.  It  is  a  fatiguing 
journey,  and  we  have  so  often  had  people  in  the 
carriage,  which  is  very  unpleasant — some  very  rude 
English,  going  to  Sorrento  ;  they  did  not  know  us. 

Florence,  April  25th. 

Your  kind  wishes  I  received  early  this  morning. 
Thousand  thanks  for  them,  and  for  the  presents 
which  1  shall  find  on  Q^ettino;-  home. 

I  shall  be  so  glad  to  have  a  large  photograph  of 
yourself.  Thirty  years !  Good-bye,  youth  !  but  I 
feel  quite  as  old  as  I  am,  though  the  time  has  flown 
by  so  fast.  I  would  it  had  flown  as  well  as  it  has 
fast !  I  look  back  to  the  past  with  great  gratitude  to 
the  Almighty  for  innumerable  blessings,  and  pray 
our  life  may  continue  so  blest.  I  have  a  very  bad 
headache — neuralgia ;  I  have  it  continually  ;  and  the 
journey  is  very  long  and  tiring.  Darling  Ernie 
wanted  to  buy  something  for  my  birthday,  and  he 
thought  a  china  doll  with  a  bath  would  be  the  best. 
I  am  glad  Victoria  remembered  to  write  to  Beatrice 
as  I  told  her;  they  are  very  fond  of  their  Auntie. 

Florence  seems  a  beautiful  town,  and  the  situation 
amongst  the  hills,  over  which  the  suburbs  spread,  is 
most  picturesque. 

I  enclose  the  last  telegrams  from  Sorrento.  It  is 
Jievre  dn  pays  which  Marie  had.  We  remained  at 
Rome  a  day  longer  on  account  of  poor  Alfred.  He 
is  very  patient  and  hopeful. 

The  King,  whom  we  saw  at  the  races,  sends  you 


TRIALS.  313 

his  respects,  and  was  delighted  with  the  cream- 
colored  horse  you  sent  him.  Many  thanks  for  the 
flowers.  I  enclose  two  from  here.  The  account  of 
your  giving-  away  the  colors '""  I  had  already  read 
with  interest. 

We  must  go  to  the  Grand  Duchess  Marie  to-mor- 
row ;  Monday  to  Verona,  twelve  hours  ;  next  morn- 
ing to  Munich,  and  that  night  to  Darmstadt.  How 
I  look  forward  to  seeing  the  dear  children  !  It  seems 
to  me  an  age  since  we  parted. 

Darmstadt,  June  9th, 

Tender  thanks  for  your  last  letter,  and  for  every 
word  of  sympathy!  The  weary  days  drag  on,  and 
bring  much  pain  at  times,  though  there  are  moments 
of  comfort,  and  even  consolation. 

The  horror  of  my  darling's  sudden  death  f  at 
times  torments  me  too  much,  particularly  waking  of 
a  morning  ;  but  when  I  think  he  is  at  rest,  free  from 
the  sorrow  we  are  suffering,  and  from  every  evil  to 
come,  I  feel  quite  resigned.  He  was  such  a  bright 
child.  It  seems  so  quiet  next  door  ;  I  miss  the  little 
feet,  the  coming  to  me,  for  we  lived  so  much  to- 
gether, and  Ernie  feels  so  lost,  poor  love. 

We  were  at  the  Mausoleum  with  all  the  children 
yesterday  evening.  It  is  a  quiet  spot  amidst  trees 
and  flowers,  with  a  lovely  view  toward  the  hills  and 
plain.  He  loved  flowers  so  much.  I  can't  see  one 
along  the  roadside  without  wishing  to  i)ick  it  for  him. 

There  is  a  young  sculptor  from  Stuttgart,  who 
was  accidently  here,  and,  meeting  the  children,  had 
asked  permission  to  make  medallions  of  them.     The 

*  To  the  79lh  Queen's  Own  Cameron  Highlanders,  at    Parkhurst,  on  the 
l6'.h  of  April. 

f  The  allusion  is  to   the  deaih   of   the   little  Prince   Frederick,  who  was 
killed  on  the  29th  of  the  previous  month  by  a  fall  from  a  window. 


314  •  FJHINCESS  ALICE. 

last  afternoon  sweet  Frittie  had  sat  to  him,  and  he  is 
now  making  a  lovely  bust  of  him,  which  is  getting 
very  like. 

On  Wednesday  my  mother-in-law,  with  her  three 
sons,  goes  to  Berlin  ;  on  Thursday  Uncle  Adalbert* 
will  be  buried  in  the  Dom. 

We  sha'n't  be  able  to  go  to  Seeheim  until  Satur- 
day. 

How  too  ki7id  of  you  to  have  asked  us  to  Osborne ! 
How  a  rest  and  home  air  would  have  revived  me — 
and  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  again  ;  but  Louis 
cannot  leave  until  after  his  birthday.  If  he  did  get 
leave,  it  would  so  throw  him  out  before  he  has  to 
command ;  and,  having  been  absent  this  spring,  he 
feels  it  an  impossibility,  and  this  I  am  sure  you  will 
understand.  I  could  not  leave  him  or  the  children. 
Our  circle  has  grown  smaller,  and  drawn  us  all  the 
more  together  with  a  dread  of  parting  from  each 
other.  We  thank  you  a  thousand  times  for  the  kind 
offer. 

Seeheim,  June  22d. 

*  '^  *  I  do  earnestly  hope  that  too  long  a 
time  may  not  elapse  before  we  meet. 

It  is  very  hot,  and  I  feel  very  low  and  unhappy. 

To-morrow  this  house  will  be  full,  and  all  the 
Russians,  etc.,  close  by.  Had  there  only  been  any 
other  quiet  country  place  to  be  at,  how  gladly  would 
I  have  escaped  this. 

*  "^  '^'  It  is  only  three  weeks  to-day  since  we 
took  our  darling  to  his  last  resting-place  !  I  wish  I 
could  go  there  to-day,  but  it  is  too  hot  and  too 
far. 

Fritz  and  Louise  of  Baden  came  two  days  ago  to 
Darmstadt,  to  see  my  parents-in-law  and  us. 

*  Princess  Charles'  brother,  Prince  Adalbert  of  Prussia. 


TRIALS.  3 1  5 

Dr.  Macleod's  letter  is  very  kind. 

I  enclose  two  photographs  of  dear  Frittie  out  of 
groups,  the  negative  of  one  of  which  unluckily  does 
not  exist  any  more.  The  little  blouse  is  the  one  he 
had  on  on  that  terrible  day.  My  darling  sweet 
child — to  have  lost  him  so !  To  my  grave  shall  I 
carry  this  sorrow  with  me. 

In  the  book  you  sent  me  there  is  a  fine  poem  by 
Miss  Procter,  "  Our  grief,  our  friend,"  called  "  Friend 
Sorrow,"  which  expresses  so  much  what  I  myself  feel 
about  a  deep  grief. 

Seeheim,  June  27th, 

*  *  *  It  was  just  four  weeks  yesterday  since 
our  darling  died,  and  we  went  to  the  Mausoleum.  I 
felt  the  whole  weight  of  my  sorrow,  and  the  terrible 
shock  doubly  again.  But  the  precious  child  does 
not — that  is  a  comfort.  He  is  happy  and  at  rest, 
whilst  we  grieve  and  mourn.  Ernie  always  prays  for 
Frittie,  and  talks  to  me  of  him  when  we  walk  together. 

Aunt  Marie  arrived  at  two  on  Monday,  and  a  few 
hours  later  came  to  see  me,  and  was  so  sympathizing, 
motherly,  and  loving ;  it  touched  me  much.  At  such 
moments  she  is  peculiarly  soft  and  womanly,  and  she 
loves  her  own  children  so  tenderly.  She  cried  much, 
and  told  me  of  the  sad  death  of  her  eldest  girl,  wlio 
was  seven,  and  of  the  terrible,  irreparable  loss  her 
eldest  son  was  to  her.  She  has  such  a  religious, 
truly  resigned  way  of  looking  at  great  sorrows  such 
as  these.  In  the  room  I  am  now  living  in  Aunt 
Marie  had  seen  Frittie  in  his  bath  two  years  ago, 
and  she  remembered  all  about  him.  She  is  coming 
to  "  Sunshine's  "  toilet  this  evening ;  it  always  amuses 
her,  and  she  is  very  fond  of  the  children. 

Skkiilim,  July  Qlh. 

*  *     *     There  are  days  which  seem  harder  than 


3l6  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Others,  and  when   I   feel  very  heartsick,  prayer  and 
quiet  and  solitude  do  me  good. 

I  hear  Affie  comes  on  Thursday  night.  This 
evening  the  Emperor  arrives.  Poor  Marie  '"'  is  very 
happy,  and  so  quiet.  ^'  *  *  How  I  feel  for  the 
parents,  this  only  daughter  (a  character  of  Hi^igebtLng 
[perfect  devotion]  to  those  she  loves),  the  last  child 
entirely  at  home,  as  the  parents  are  so  much  away 
that  the  two  youngest,  on  account  of  their  studies, 
no  more  travel  about. 

Seeheim,  July  26th. 

*  *  *  I  am  glad  that  you  have  a  little  colored 
picture  of  my  darling.  I  feel  lower  and  sadder  than 
ever,  and  miss  him  so  much,  so  continually.  There 
is  such  a  gap  between  Ernie  and  Sunny,  and  the 
two  boys  were  such  a  pretty  pair,  and  were  become 
such  companions.  Having  so  many  girls,  I  was  so 
proud  of  our  two  boys !  The  pleasure  did  not  last 
long,  but  he  is  raine  more  than  ever  now.  He  seems 
near  me  always,  and  I  carry  his  precious  image  in 
my  heart  everywhere.      That  can  never  fade  or  die  I 

Seeheim,  August  2d. 
Many  thanks  for  your  dear  letter !  I  am  feeling 
so  low  and  weak  to-day  that  kind  words  are  doubly 
soothing.  You  feel  so  with  me,  when  you  under- 
stand how  long  and  deep  my  grief  must  be.  And 
does  one  not  grow  to  love  one's  grief,  as  having  be- 
come part  of  the  being  one  loved — as  if  through  this 
one  could  still  pay  a  tribute  of  love  to  them,  to  make 
up  for  the  terrible  loss,  and  missing  of  not  being  able 
to  do  any  thing  for  the  beloved  one  any  more  ?  •}*     I 

*  The  Grand  Duchess  Marie,  who  was  engaged  on  the  inh  of  July  to  the 
Duke  of  Edinburgh. 

f  How  these  words  recall  tliosc  of  Constance  {King  John,  act  iii.,  scene  4)- 
Grief  fills  the  room  up  of  my  absent  child, 
Lies  in  his  bed,  walks  up  and  down  with  me, 


TRIALS.  317 

am  so  much  with  my  children,  and  am  so  accustomed 
to  care  for  them  and  their  wants  daily,  that  I  miss 
not  having-  Frittie,  the  object  of  our  greatest  care, 
far  more  than  words  can  describe  ;  and  in  the  quiet 
of  our  every-day  life,  where  we  have  only  the  children 
around  us,  it  is  doubly  and  trebly  felt,  and  is  a  sor- 
row that  has  entered  into  the  very  heart  of  our 
existence. 

Miy  the  hour  of  trial  and  grief  bring  its  blessing 
with  it,  and  not  have  come  in  vain  !  The  day  passes 
so  quickly,  when  one  can  do  good  and  make  others 
happy,  and  one  leaves  always  so  much  undone.  I 
feel  more  than  ever,  one  should  put  nothing  off;  and 
children  grow  up  so  quickly  and  leave  one,  and  I 
would  long  that  mine  should  take  nothing  but  the 
recollection  of  love  and  happiness  from  their  home 
with  them  into  the  world's  fight,  knowing  that  they 
have  there  ahvays  a  safe  harbor,  and  open  arms  to 
comfort  and  encourage  them  when  they  are  in 
trouble.  I  do  hope  that  this  may  become  the  case, 
though  the  lesson  for  parents  is  so  difficult,  being 
Q.QVi\AX\w2\\y giving,  without  always  finding  the  return. 

Dear  Fannie  Baillie  has  been  a  few  days  here,  and 
goes  to  England  to-day.  I  shall  miss  her  so  much. 
I  am  so  very  fond  of  her.  I  hope  you  will  see  her  ; 
she  will  bring  you  many  messages  from  us. 

Seeheim,  August  13th. 

*  *  *  After  endless  difficulties  it  has  been 
settled  that  we  can  cfo  to  the  Mainau.  I  am  so  far 
from  strong  and  well  that  a  change  is  necessary,  and 
we  shall  go  on  the  i5th,  as  Louise  of  Baden  pro- 
posed, and  I  have  written  this  to  her. 

Puts  on  his  pretty  looks,  repeats  his  words, 
Remembers  me  of  ail  his  gracious  parts, 
Stuffs  out  Ills  vacant  garments  with  his  form  ; 
Then  have  I  reason  to  be  fond  of  grief. 


3l8  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

How  you  will  enjoy  the  rest  at  Balmoral !  After 
so  much  going  on  you  must  require  it. 

Helene  Reuter  is  coming  here  for  a  fortnight  with 
her  boy — Ernest's  age.  Poor  boy,  he  longs  for  a 
playfellow. 

Seeheim,  August  i6th. 

*  *  *  Louis  joins  with  me  in  saying  that  we 
shall  gratefully  accept  your  wish  that  we  should 
come  to  Windsor,  and  he  trusts  there  will  be  no 
difficulties  for  leave  then.     *     *     * 

Seeheim,  September  7th. 

*  "  ^  You  ask  if  I  can  play  yet?  I  feel  as  if 
I  could  not,  and  I  have  not  yet  done  so.  In  my 
own  house  it  seems  to  me  as  if  I  never  could  play 
again  on  that  piano,  where  little  hands  were  nearly 
always  thrust  when  I  wanted  to  play.  Away  from 
home-^in  England — much  sooner.  I  had  played  so 
often  lately  that  splendid,  touching  funeral  march  of 
Chopin's,  and  I  remember  it  is  the  last  thing  I 
played,  and  then  the  boys  were  running  in  the 
room. 

Mary  Teck  came  to  see  me  and  remained  two 
nights,  so  warm-hearted  and  sympathizing.  I  like 
to  talk  of  him  to  those  who  love  children,  and  can 
understand  how  great  the  gap,  how  intense  the  pain, 
the  ending  of  a  little  bright  existence  causes. 

Soon  I  shall  have  my  Louis  back.  I  long  for  him 
very  much  ;  but  the  change  of  air,  the  active 
out-door  life,  and  being  quite  thrown  into  men's 
society  and  occupations,  must  refresh  body  and 
mind.  Here  he  has  only  me,  the  governess  and 
children  as  U^ngang.  But  he  is  what  the  Germans 
call  eiii  Haiishainincl — it  is  what  he  likes  best. 

We  shall  do  nothing  for  his  birthday.     The  chil- 


TRIALS.  319 

dren  will  recite  their  poems  and  write  little  things, 
and  his  parents  will  come  to  our  five  o'clock  tea. 

Heiden,  Appenzell,  October  ylh. 

How  kind  of  you  to  remember  our  darling's  birth- 
day ;  we  both  thank  you  for  this.  Sad  and  many  are 
our  thoughts.  I  think  of  my  loneliness  and  anxiety 
when  he  was  born,  with  Louis  far  away  in  the  midst 
of  danger — a  sad  and  awful  time  to  come  into  the 
world  ;  but  sweet  Frittie  was  my  comfort  and  occu- 
pation, a  second  son,  a  pleasure  to  us  both  !  Now  all 
this  is  wiped  out,  and  our  parents'  hearts  are  sore, 
and  askinor  for  the  dear  briofht  face  we  miss  so  much 
from  amongst  our  circle  of  children  !  He  ended  his 
fight  very  soon.  May  we  all  follow  in  a  way  as 
peaceful,  with  as  little  struggle  and  pain,  and  leave 
an  imaee  of  as  much  love  and  brisfhtness  behind, 
to  be  a  blessed  remembrance  for  the  rest  of  our 
lives ! 

I  can't  write  on  any  other  subject  to-day,  there- 
fore close  these  short  lines  with  much  love  from 
your  devoted  child,  Alice. 

Darmstadt,  November  14th. 
*  *  "^^  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  ask  about  the 
rooms.  I  should  prefer  living  in  the  tapestry  rooms 
this  time.  It  won't  be  like  the  last  time — though 
after  our  house  here,  so  full  of  happy  and  heart-rend- 
ing recollections,  I  go  through  continual  pangs, 
which  it  will  take  many  a  year  to  soften  down,  as 
you  can  understand. 

Buckingham  Palace,  December  20th. 
Beloved  Mama  : — How   much   I    thank   you  for 
your  dear  precious  letter,  and  for  all  the  true  love 
and  considerate  sympathy  you  showed  me  during 


320  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

our  visit !  It  has  soothed  and  comforted  me,  I 
assure  you,  and  will  be  a  pleasure  and  satisfaction 
for  me  to  look  back  to  the  many  pleasant  talks  we 
had  together. 

Louis,  who  has  always  been  so  devoted  to  you, 
was  touched  to  tears,  as  I  was,  by  your  expressions 
of  love  to  us  and  to  our  children. 

Thank  you  also  for  all  advice,  which  is  so  precious 
to  me,  and  in  following  it  I  shall  like  to  think  that  I 
am  doing  something  that  you  told  me. 

How  much  I  felt  in  parting  from  you  I  cannot 
say.  Neither  did  I  like  to  speak  of  it,  for  it  was  too 
much,  and  the  harder  things  in  life  are  better  borne 
in  silence,  as  none  can  bear  them  for  one,  and  they 
must  be  fought  out  by  one's  self. 

Ernie  and  Irene  send  endless  loves  to  vou,  to 
Uncle  and  Auntie.     Sunny 's  hand  is  better. 

Tilla  came  to  see  me  yesterday,  and  we  both 
drove  with  her  to  the  Memorial.* 

*  *  *  There  is  so  much  I  would  run  on  about, 
now  the  dear  habit  of  intercourse  together  has  once 
more  become  so  natural  to  me.  Writing  is  at  best 
a  poor  remplagani. 

Once  more  from  both  of  us  warm  and  tender 
thanks  for  so  much  love  and  kindness !  Love  to 
Leopold  and  Beatrice  ;  kind  remembrances  to  all 
who  surround  you  !  From  your  grateful  and  de- 
voted child,  Alice. 

Buckingham  Palace,  December  21st. 

*  *  *  It  is  fine  and  warm  and  still.  I  hope  it 
will  be  so  early  to-morrow  when  we  cross  over.  I 
shall  telegraph  how  the  passage  has  been. 

Please  thank  Brown  for  his  kind  wishes.  I  am  so 
sorry  that  I  missed  saying  good-bye  to  several.     To 

*  To  the  Prince  Consort  in  Hyde  Park. 


TRIALS.  321 

say  the  truth,  I  dreaded  it.  It  is  always  so  painful. 
The  old  Baron's*  way  of  disappearing  was  almost 
the  best. 


1874. 

During  the  first  months  of  this  year  the  Princess 
had  the  comfort  of  seeing  many  of  her  relations. 
The  year  was  chiefly  spent  in  retirement,  and  de- 
voted to  many  sad  memories.  On  the  24th  of  May 
she  gave  birth  to  a  daughter,  whose  christening  took 
place  on  the  i  ith  of  July  at  Jugenheim,  near  Darm- 
stadt, in  the  presence  of  the  Empress  of  Russia  and 
the  Duke  of  Edinburgh.  The  child  received  the 
names  of  Marie  Victoria  Feodora  Leopoldine. 

The  hottest  part  of  the  summer  was  spent  at  Blank- 
enberghe  for  the  use  of  sea-baths.  In  September 
the  great  manoeuvres  of  the  Eleventh  Army  Corps 
took  place  in  Upper  Hesse,  where  the  Princess  met 
the  Emperor  of  Germany. 

The  Princess'  charitable  institutions  were  all  pros- 
pering, and  assuming  larger  and  larger  proportions  ; 
amongst  them  the  Princess'  own  hospital  was  by  de- 
grees slowly  approaching  completion.  It  w-as  the 
institution  she  had  the  most  at  heart.  It  was  intended 
to  be  a  training-school  for  those  who  intended  to 
become  nurses,  and  a  home  for  probationers  whose 
training  was  at  an  end.  It  was  also  to  serve  as  a 
model  of  those  reforms  in  sanitary  arrangements 
which  the  Princess  had  so  much  at  heart. 

*  Baron  Slockmar  liad  such  a  dislike  of  leave-takin£;s  that  he  never  let  it 
be  known  when  he  w;is  going  away  from  the  Englisli  Corurt.  The  first  inti- 
mation of  his  intention  was — that  he  was  already  gone. 


322  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

When  the  provisional  Enghsh  hospital  at  Darm- 
stadt  (already  mentioned  during  the  war  in    1870) 
had  been  taken  over  by  the  Hessian  authorities,  all 
its    furniture,  appointments,  etc.,    were    left  to    the 
"  Alice  Ladies'  Union  "  for  the  small  hospital  which 
it  had  started,  aided  by  a  small  body  of  doctors  in 
Darmstadt.     This  was  the  origin  of  the  "  Alice  Hos- 
pital," begun  in  a  very  small  humble  way  in  a  cramped 
little  house  in  the  Mauer-Strasse.  The  Frauen-Verein 
had  undertaken,  when  the  English  National  Society 
for  Aid  to  the  Sick  and  Wounded  had  made  over 
their  hospital  to  them,  either  to  build  quite  a  new 
one  or  thoroughly  to  reorganize  the  existing  one  on 
the  Mauer-Strasse.     There  were  no  funds  to  build  a 
new  hospital ;  therefore  the  "  Alice  Ladies'  Union," 
could  only  resort  to  the  other  alternative,  and  this 
was  carried  out  to  the  letter,  by  additional  buildings 
and  a  totally  new  arrangement  of  its  interior.     As 
time   went  on,  it  was  found  advisable  to  give  the 
hospital  a  dictinct  administration,  and  to  separate  it 
from    the    "  Alice    Ladies'    Union,"    placing  special 
funds  at  its  disposal.     This  never  would  have  come 
to  pass,  nor  would  the  hospital  have  proved  the  suc- 
cess  it  did,   had  it   not  been  for  the  untiring  zeal, 
perseverance,  economy,  and  practical  knowledge  of 
the  lady  directing  it.     During  the  summer  months 
of  1874,  a  lady  well  acquainted   with  German  and 
English  hospitals — a  trained  nurse  herself — became 
Lady    Superintendent    of   the  training  -  school    for 
nurses,  and  of  the  hospital  generally,  which  gradual- 
ly, but  surely,  was  gaining  in  importance. 


TRIALS.  323 

The  Alice  Union  for  the  Employment  of  Women 
made  a  further  step  in  advance  during"  this  year,  and 
established  itself  on  a  firm  broad  basis  under  the 
name  of  "  The  Alice  Society  for  the  Education  and 
Employment  of  Women  of  all  Classes."  Of  this  the 
Princess  was  the  President,  whilst  Fraulein  Louise 
Biichner  directed  the  whole.  The  gentlemen  and 
ladies  who  formed  the  committee  were  chosen  by 
the  Princess.  All  worked  most  harmoniously  to- 
gether; and  the  Princess  was  as  anxious  to  receive 
advice  from  others  in  matters  concerning  the  society 
as  she  was  glad  to  give  it  herself. 

Darmstadt,  January  12th. 

*  *  "='  How  low  and  miserable  I  am  at  times  in 
these  rooms,  particularly  when  I  go  to  bed,  I  cannot 
tell  you !  The  impression  of  all  is  so  vivid  and 
heart-rending.     I  could  cry  out  for  pain  sometimes. 

Till  the  first  year  is  round  this  will  often  return,  I 
know,  and  must  be  borne  as  part  of  the  sorrow! 

January  i6th. 

*  *  :i:  J  l^now  well  what  your  grief  and  your 
bereavement  were  compared  to  mine  ;  but  they  are 
such  different  sorrows,  I  don't  think  one  can  well 
compare  them.  Your  life  was  broken — upset : 
altered  from  the  very  roots,  through  the  one  you 
lost ;  my  life  is  unchanged,  save  in  the  mother's 
heart  the  blank,  the  pain  which  thousands  of  little 
things  awaken — which  by  the  world,  even  by  the 
family,  are  scarcely  felt  ;  and  this  ofttimes  loneliness 
of  sentiment  clouds  one's  life  over  with  a  quiet 
sorrow  which  is  felt  in  every  tki7ig.     *     '^'     * 

Darmstadt,  January  23d. 
On  our  dear  Affie's  [Prince   Alfred's]  wedding- 


3^4  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

day,  a  few  tender  words.  It  must  seem  so  strange 
to  you  not  to  be  near  him.  INIy  thoughts  are  con- 
stantly with  them  all,  and  we  have  only  the  Times 
account,  for  no  one  writes  here — they  are  all  too 
busy,  and  of  course  all  news  comes  to  you.  What 
has  Augusta  [Lady  Augusta  Stanley]  written,  and 
Vicky  and  Bertie  ?  Any  extracts  or  other  news- 
paper accounts  but  what  we  see  would  be  most 
welcome. 

We  give  a  dinner  to-night  to  the  family  and 
e7itourage,  and  Russian  and  English  legations.  *   *  * 

Louis  sends  you  his  love  and  warmest  wishes  for 
yourself  and  the  happiness  of  the  dear  pair,  in  which 
I  most  earnestly  join.  God  bless  and  protect  them, 
and  may  all  turn  out  well ! 

Darmstadt,  January  28th. 

*  *  *  Dear  Marie  [the  Duchess  of  Edinburgh] 
seems  to  make  the  same  impression  on  all.  How 
glad  I  am  she  is  so  quite  what  I  thought  and  hoped. 
Such  a  wife  must  make  Affie  happy,  and  do  him 
good,  and  be  a  great  pleasure  to  yourself,  which  I 
always  like  to  think.  I  shall  read  to  my  mother-in- 
law  the  letters,  and  show  them  to  Bauerlein.  Both 
will  be  very  grateful  for  being  allowed  to  see  them. 

We  are  going  from  Saturday  to  Monday  to  Carls- 
ruhe.  The  eldest  girls  and  Bauerlein,  who  is  going 
to  take  charore  of  them  for  a  week,  are  groinof  with  us. 

'<■  :!:  :•:  Que  day  we  have  six  degrees  of  heat, 
the  next  two  or  four  of  cold  ;  it  is  very  unwhole- 
some. 

Carlsruhe,  February  2d. 

I  have  a  little  time  before  breakfast  to  thank  you 
so  very  much  for  the  enclosures,  also  the  Dean's 
[Stanley]  letter  through  dear  Beatrice.  We  are  most 
grateful  for  being  allowed  to  hear  these  most  interest- 


TRIALS.   .  325 

ing  reports  !  It  brings  every  thing  so  much  nearer. 
How  pleasant  it  is  to  receive  only  satisfactory  re- 
ports !  I  fear  Aunt  Marie  is  far  from  well.  I  should 
be  very  anxious,  for  she  is  like  a  fading  flower. 

All  the  family,  Hohenlohes  and  Holsteins,  send 
their  duty.  All  their  respective  children  and  ours 
were  together  yesterday  afternoon.  I  hope  not  to 
seem  vain,  if  it  strikes  me  that  amongst  all  the  children 
my  girls  usually  carry  away  the  palm.  Victoria  is  in 
such  good  looks  at  present ;  they  are  both  natural 
and  real  children,  and  as  such  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
retain  them  long. 

Sophie  Weiss  *  came  to  see  me  yesterday.  I  was 
very  glad  to  be  able  to  give  her  so  good  an  account 
of  you,  and  how  young  you  looked  when  I  had  that 
great  happiness  of  those  few  short  days  at  Windsor, 
which  did  me  good  in  every  respect.  Old  Frau  von 
Bunsen,  now  eighty-three,  I  went  to  see — such  a 
charming  old  lady,  fresh  in  her  mind,  with  snow- 
white  hair.  You  and  Papa  were  the  topic  she  en- 
joyed speaking  about,  and  our  brothers  and  sisters. 

Darmstadt,  March  2d. 
:::  *  *  ]«^y  j^j^e  Miss  Gravcs  I  could  so  well 
have  taken  when  Kitty  left,  but  I  was  so  anxious 
for  a  German,  though  I  was  much  inclined  toward 
her ;  I  thought  a  German  more  important  than  it 
really  is.  Not  the  nationality  but  the  individuality 
is  the  first  thing  ;  and  here  I  think  I  have  succeeded 
in  finding  the  right  person.     *     *     * 

Darmstadt,  March  irth. 
*     "==     *     I   hope  you  were  not  the  worst  for  all 
your  exertions.     The  Ti7nes  accounts  are  charming. 
Such  a  warm  reception  must  have  touched  Marie, 

*  A  former  Dresser  of  the  Queen's. 


326  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

and  shown  how  the  Enghsh  cling  to  their  Sovereign 
and  her  house. 

We  have  cold,  snow,  and  dust,  after  quite  warm 
weather.     I  trust  you  will  have  sunshine  to-morrow. 

This  last  fortnight  the  news  from  Ashantee  has  so 
absorbed  our  thoughts.  It  has  been  an  arduous  un- 
dertaking, and  one's  heart  warms  to  our  dear  troops, 
who  under  all  difficulties  sustain  their  old  name  for 
bravery  and  endurance.  The  poor  42d  [Regiment] 
lost  many  through  illness,  too  ;  and  I  see  they  en- 
tered Coomassie  playing  the  bagpipes  ! 

Louis  is  just  reading  to  me  Sir  Hope  Grant's  book 
on  the  Indian  Mutiny,  which  he  kindly  sent  me,  and 
which  is  interesting  and  pleasant  to  read. 

I  am  taking  the  first  snowdrops  to  sweet  Frittie's 
grave.  Hozu  the  first  flowers  he  so  dearly  loved 
bring  tears  to  my  eyes,  and  recollections  which 
wring  my  heart  anew !  I  dread  these  two  next 
months  with  their  flowers  and  their  birds.  Good 
bye,  darling  Mama. 

Darmstadt,  April  7th. 

*  *  *  Surely  Marie  must  feel  it  very  deeply, 
for  to  leave  so  delicate  and  loving  a  mother  must 
seem  almost  wrong.  How  strange  this  side  of  hu- 
man nature  always  seems — leaving  all  you  love  most, 
know  best,  owe  all  debts  of  gratitude  to,  for  the  com- 
paratively unknown  !  The  lot  of  parents  is  indeed 
hard,  and  of  such  self-sacrifice. 

April  nth, 

*  *  *  The  children  are  too  much  an  object 
here  ;  they  have  too  little  to  compare  with  ;  they 
would  be  benefited  by  a  change,  seeing  other  things 
and  people,  else  they  get  into  a  groove,  which  I  know 
is  not  good.  They  are  very  unspoilt  in  their  tastes, 
and  simple  and  quiet  children,  which  I  think  of  the 
greatest  importance. 


TRIALS.  327 

Louis  Battenberg  has  passed  a  first-rate  examina- 
tion. The  parents  are  so  happy,  and  the  influence 
the  good  conduct  and  steady  work  of  the  elder 
brother  las  on  the  younger  is  of  the  greatest  use, 
as  they  wish  to  follow  him,  and  be  as  well  spoken  of, 
and  please  their  parents,  as  he  does.     ^'^     ''"'     * 

April  15th. 

My  best  thanks  for  your  dear  letter  of  the  13th. 
You  say  rightly,  what  a  fault  it  is  of  parents  to  bring 
up  their  daughters  with  the  main  object  of  marrying 
them.  This  is  said  to  be  a  too  prominent  feature  in 
the  modern  English  education  of  the  higher  classes. 
""  *  *  I  want  to  strive  to  bring  up  the  girls 
without  seeking  this  as  the  sole  object  for  the  future — 
to  feel  they  can  fill  up  their  lives  so  well  otherwise. 
■55-  ■X-  *  p^  marriage  for  the  sake  of  marriage  is 
surely  the  greatest  mistake  a  woman  can  make  ""  *  ''^ 
I  know  what  an  absorbinof  feelinof  that  of  devotion  to 
one's  parent  is.  When  I  was  at  home,  it  filled  my 
whole  soul.  It  does  still,  in  a  great  degree,  and 
Heiinweh  [homesickness]  does  not  cease  after  ever 
so  long  an  absence.     *     '^'      "' 

Darmstadt,  April  23d. 

*  *  '^'  I  thought  so  much  of  your  remarks 
about  daughters,  etc.,  and  do  think  it  so  natural  and 
dutiful  to  remain  with  one's  parent  as  long  as  one  is 
wanted.  Is  it  not  a  duty  when  no  one  else  can  take 
one's  place  ?     I  should  feel  it  so. 

April  26th. 

I  thank  you  most  tenderly  for  your  loving  wishes 
for  my  birthday,  received  on  getting  up  yesterday 
morning.  You  can  understand  that  the  day  was  in- 
expressibly sad,  that  the  fair  h(;ad  missing  in  our 
circle   was  painfully  felt,  and  that  all  these  recollec- 


328  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

tions  caused  me  endless  tears  and  heartache — though 
not  for  him,  sweet  precious  child. 

As  you  say,  life  at  best  is  a  struggle  ;  happy  those 
who  can  lie  down  to  rest,  having  fought  their  battle 
well ;  or  those  who  have  been  spared  fighting  it  at 
all,  and  have  remained  pure  and  untouched,  barely 
touching  this  earth,  so  mixed  up  with  grief  and  sin ! 

Let  me  thank  you  for  the  charming  photographs, 
and  for  the  present  toward  the  layette — a  most  kind 
assistance. 

^i:  *  *  ^g  went  to  the  Mausoleum.  The  child- 
ren had  made  me  wreaths  to  take  there,  and  we  all 
went  together.  How  often  and  tenderly  Ernie  speaks 
of  Frittie !  It  is  very  touching,  and  speaks  of  his 
deep  and  warm  heart.  He  said  the  other  day — for 
the  recollection  of  death  has  left  such  a  deep  impres- 
sion, and  he  cannot  reconcile  it  with  life,  it  pains  him, 
— "When  I  die,  you  must  die  too,  and  all  the  others  ; 
why  can't  all  die  together?  I  don't  like  to  die  alone, 
like  Frittie."  Poor  child!  the  wish  that  all  have, 
who  love  their  own,  so  early  expressed.    *     *     * 

May  4th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  last  dear  letter  written  on 
dear  Arthur's  birthday,  of  which,  though  late,  I  wish 
you  joy.  Such  a  good,  steady,  excellent  boy  as  he 
is!  What  a  comfort  it  must  be  to  you,  never  to  have 
had  any  cause  of  uneasiness  or  annoyance  in  his  con- 
duct! He  is  so  much  respected,  which  for  one  so 
young  is  doubly  praiseworthy.  From  St.  Peters- 
burg, as  from  Vienna,  we  heard  the  same  account  of 
the  steady  line  he  holds  to,  in  spite  of  all  chaffing, 
etc.,  from  others;  which  shows  character. 

My  mother-in-law  tells  me  that  since  Miechen  has 
been  allowed  to  retain  her  religion,  this  right  will  of 
course  be  conceded  to  all  Princesses  in  future.    What 


TRIALS. 


329 


a  good  thing,  for  the  changing  I  always  thought  too 
bad,  and  nowadays  so  intolerant  and  narrow.  ^'  '^  * 
To  think  of  Mr.  Van  de  Weyer  also  leaving  this 
world!  To  you  he  will  be  a  loss,  and  to  all  who 
knew  him.  Old  friends  are  precious  landmarks  in 
the  history  of  one's  life,  and  not  to  be  replaced  by 
new  ones;  and  it  is  sad,  how  time  reduces  the  num- 
ber as  one  gets  on  in  life.  How  deeply  you  must 
feel  this  with  each  fresh  loss!  I  feel  much  for 
you.     *     ^     * 

Darmstadt,  May  i8th. 

*  *  *  Since  1867  the  Emperor's  [of  Russia] 
face  shrank  so,  and  he  became  so  thin.  When  I  first 
saw  him,  in  1864,  he  was  much  stouter  and  fresher 
looking.  He  has  many  cares,  and  one  sees  they 
weigh  upon  him,  for  he  is  so  kind  and  so  well-mean- 
ing, and  has  done  so  much  to  advance  liberty  and 
culture  in  his  own  country. 

Darmstadt,  June  5th. 
Beloved  Mama: — ^'  *  "•''  The  day  (Whitsunday, 
and  dear  Frittie's  burial-day)  of  baby's  birth  would 
have  been  too  sad,  had  not  the  fact  of  its  being  your 
birthday  given  a  double  significance  ;  but  when  I 
heard  those  bells,  and  became  conscious  again  of 
every  thing,  my  feelings  were  deep  and  mingled  be- 
yond expression.  =5=  *  *  With  repeated  tender 
thanks,  your  most  loving  child,  Alice. 

June  I ith. 

*  *  *  Having  no  cow,  or  country  place  to  keep 
one,  in  this  tremendous  heat  where  one  can't  keep 
milk,  and  d)\sentery  carries  off  so  many  babies,  it 
would  not  be  fair  to  deprive  the  poor  little  thing  of 
its  natural  and  safest  nourishment  till  the  hot  months 


330  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

are  over.  These,  darling-  Mama,  are  my  reasons, 
and  though  I  do  it  with  such  pleasure,  yet  it  is  not 
without  sacrifices  of  comfort  and  convenience,  etc.; 
but  it  seems  to  me  the  best  course  to  take  for  our 
children,  and  as  we  are  situated. 

Many  thanks  for  being  baby's  godmother !  It 
gives  us  great  pleasure. 

Do  thank  all  our  good  people  for  their  kind 
interest.     '"*     *     "^ 

I  am  drivincr  out  this  afternoon  if  cool  enough. 
You  must  not  tell  one  of  the  heavenly  Scotch  air, 
when  one  is  breathing  heated  stove  air  ;  it  makes 
one  too  envious. 

July  13th. 

The  christening  went  off  very  well.  Baby  looked 
really  pretty  for  so  young  an  individual.  It  was  in  a 
large  room.  Marie  [Duchess  of  Edinburgh],  quite 
in  pink,  held  her  godchild  ;  and  my  mother-in-law, 
with  her  best  love,  begs  me  to  tell  you,  it  had 
pleased  her  so  much  that  you  had  asked  her  to  rep- 
resent you.  My  three  older  girls  looked  very  nice, 
I  thought,  in  lavender  silk  (your  Christmas  present). 
I  had  the  same  color,  and  "  Sunny "  in  pink,  was 
immensely  admired.  She  is  still  improving  in  looks 
since  you  saw  her. 

I  was  glad  it  was  another  place,  in  different  cir- 
cumstances from  the  last  christening.  As  it  was,  it 
moved  me  much.  The  last  time  I  heard  these 
words,  darling  Frittie  was  with  us,  and  now  the 
chain  has  a  gap  ! 

*  *  *  We  can  get  nothing  at  Scheveningen 
except  at  exorbitant  prices,  so  we  go  to  that  dread- 
ful Blankenberghe — without  tree  or  bush,  nothing 
but  a  beach  and  sand  banks. 


TRIALS.  331 

Blankenberghe,  July  24th. 

The  sea  air  is  doing-  all  good,  the  children  espe- 
cially, the  heat  had  pulled  them  so. 

1  have  bathed  once,  and  hope  it  will  agree.  '''  ^  * 
My  cough  and  relaxed  throat  are  getting  better. 

The  rooms  are  small  and  few,  but  clean,  and  the 
cooking  good,  and  we  are  quite  satisfied.  There  is 
not  a  soul  one  knows. 

Blankenberghe,  August  i6th. 

This  day  makes  me  think  of  our  dear  kind  Grand- 
mama,  whose  image  still  dwells  amongst  us  !  None 
who  ever  knew  her  can  forget  how  truly  lovable  she 
was  ;  and  we  grandchildren  will  ever  retain  such  a 
bright  recollection  of  her.  So  many  little  attentions, 
small  souvenirs,  kind  letters,  all  tokens  of  affection 
so  pleasing  to  the  receivers. 

Yesterday  Louis  saved  a  lady  from  drowning. 
He  was  bathing.  The  waves  were  high,  and  he 
heard  a  cry  for  help,  and  saw  a  bather  struggling. 
She  had  lost  her  footing.  Her  husband  tried  to 
help  her,  but  was  exhausted  and  let  her  go  ;  equally 
so  the  brother-in-law,  and  Louis  felt  he  was  losing 
his  strength,  but  she  kept  her  presence  of  mind  and 
floated.  He  let  her  go  once  till  a  wave  brought  her 
near  him  again,  and  he  caught  her  hand  and  brought 
her  in,  feeling  quite  done  himself.  I  was  not  in  the 
sea  at  the  time,  for  the  waves  were  so  tremendous 
that  I  lost  my  footing  several  times,  and  had  come 
out,  fearing  an  accident.  The  lady  is  a  Mrs.  T. 
Sligo,  a  Scotchwoman,  and  she  has  just  written  to 
me  to  thank  Louis.  He  is  a  good  swimmer,  and 
very  strong.  The  gentlemen  are  two  grey- haired 
Scotchmen. 

Ella  has  so  wonderfully  improved  since  she  has 
been  here.  She  is  no  more  pale  and  languid,  and 
Ernie  is  another  child  also. 


332  PJi/NCESS  ALICE. 

Luckily  it  has  not  been  warm,  so  the  air  and  baths 
are  doubly  efficacious.  They  have  done  me  a  world 
of  good.  I  feel  quite  different  to  what  I  have  done 
ever  since  Sunny's  birth.  I  believe  the  sea  to  be 
the  only  thing  for  such  a  relaxed  state,  and,  being 
strong  and  healthy  by  nature,  I  can't  bear  not  being 
well,  and  feeling  so  weak.  Miss  Graves  has  re- 
turned, but  the  girls  have  been  very  good — no 
trouble  at  all. 

Kranichstein,  August  26th. 

On  dear  Papa's  birthday  I  must  send  you  a  few 
lines.  The  past  is  ever  bright  and  vivid  in  my  mind, 
though  year  after  year  intervenes.  How  must  it  be 
for  you,  who  live  surrounded  by  such  precious  recol- 
lections of  the  happy  past ! 

I  think  doubly  of  you  to-day,  and  doubly  tenderly, 
sweet  Mama ! 

I  got  home  quite  right,  and  found  the  house  here 
cold.  There  was  no  sun,  and  our  rooms  being  to 
the  north,  and  the  wood  so  near,  makes  them  feel 
chilly. 

I  am  glad  dear  Leopold  bore  the  journey  well. 
The  air  will  do  him  good  in  his  weakened  state. 

The  day  at  Laeken  was  quiet  and  pleasant.  Marie 
is  still  thinner,  and  more  aged,  I  think.  The  loss  of 
that  nice  boy  weighs  on  them  still,  and  they  spoke 
much  about  it,  and  she  with  many  tears. 

Every  one  has  his  burden  to  bear,  and  must  bear 
it  alone  with  trust  and  resignation — that  is  the  thing 
to  struggle  and  to  pray  for. 

Kranichstein,  September  ist. 

"      *     *     I   shall  get  a  comforter  done  for  good 

Mrs.  Brown,  kind  old  woman.     I  am  glad  she  does 

not  forget  me,  and  shall  be  pleased  to  do  any  little 

thing  that  can  give  her  pleasure.     Will  you  tell  her 


TRIALS.  333 

the  plaid  she  made  me  still  goes  everywhere  with 
me  ?      How  is  Mrs.  Grant? 

Louis  is  gone,  5nd  I  have  a  good  deal  to  do  every- 
day. We  breakfast  at  half-past  eight,  then  I  have 
baby,  and  take  the  children  out  till  eleven.  I  then 
have  business,  baby,  and,  at  one,  the  elder  girls  al- 
ternatelv  for  French  readinor.  After  luncheon  I 
write  my  letters,  etc.,  and  before  five  go  out.  In  the 
evenings  I  read,  and  have  supper  at  eight  with  the 
two  ladies. 

Ella  is  another  child  since  she  has  been  at  the  sea- 
side— fine  color,  no  longer  pale  and  languid,  learns 
well,  and  is  quite  different.  Ernie  the  same,  bright 
and  fresh  ;  while  before  they  had  been  looking  pulled 
and  weak,  outgrowing  their  strength. 

'•  Sunny  "  is  the  picture  of  robust  health,  and  sweet 
little  *'  sister  Maly  "  sits  up  quite  alone,  and  is  very 
neat  and  rosy,  with  such  quick  eyes,  and  two  deep 
dimples  in  her  cheeks — a  great  pet,  and  so  like  my 
poor  Frittie. 

The  return  here  has  been  very  painful,  and  days 
of  great  depression  still  come,  when  I  am  tormented 
with  the  dreadful  remembrance  of  the  day  I  lost  him. 
Too  cruel  and  agonizing  are  those  thoughts.  I  dwell 
on  /lis  rest  and  peace,  and  that  our  sufferings  he  can- 
not know.  What  might  not  life  have  brought  him  ? 
Better  so  !  but  hard  to  say,  "  God's  will  be  done." 

-     Krakichsteix,  September  15th. 
■"^     *    *    's  conversion  has  created  no  smaller 


sensation  with  us  than  elsewhere,  and  the  Tinics 
criticised  his  step  so  sharply.  It  remains  a  retro- 
grade movement  for  any  Protestant,  how  much  more 
so  for  a  man  of  his  stamp  !  Quite  incomprehensible 
to  me. 

V    ^    ^   This  Catholic  movement  is  so  U7i-E7iglish. 


334  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

I  think,  among  those  RitiiaHsts  there  are  bond  fide 
CathoHcs  who  help  to  convert.     '^'     *     * 

I  will  send  you  sweet  little  Maly's  photograph 
next  time.  *  '^  "*  Baby  has  a  very  fair  skin, 
light-brown  hair  and  deep-blue  eyes  with  marked 
eyebrows,  not  much  color  in  her  cheeks,  but  pink 
and  healthy-looking  altogether. 

Kranichstein,  September  24th. 

*  *  *  People  with  strong  feelings  and  of  ner- 
vous temperament,  for  which  one  is  no  more  respon- 
sible than  for  the  color  of  one's  eyes,  have  things  to 
fight  against  and  to  put  up  with,  unknown  to  those 
of  quiet,  equable  dispositions,  who  are  free  from  vio- 
lent emotions,  and  have  consequently  no  feeling  of 
nerves — still  less,  of  irritable  nerves.  If  I  did  not 
control  mine  as  much  as  I  could,  they  would  be 
dreadful.  *  =2=  *  One  can  overcome  a  great  deal 
— but  alter  one's  self  one  cannot.     *     *     * 

October  31st. 

*  *  *  I  always  think,  that  in  the  end  children 
educate  the  parents.  For  their  sakes  there  is  so 
much  one  must  do  :  one  must  forget  one's  self,  if 
every  thing  is  as  it  ought  to  be.  It  is  doubly  so,  if 
one  has  the  misfortune  to  lose  a  precious  child. 
Riickert's  lovely  lines  are  so  true  (after  the  loss  of 
two  of  his  children)  : 

Nun  hat  euch  Gott  verlieh'n,  was  wir  auch  wollten  thun, 
Wir  wollten  euch  erzieh'n,  und  ihr  erzieht  uns  nun. 
O  Kinder,  ihr  erziehet  mit  Schmerz  die  Eltern  jetzt  ; 
Ihr  zieht  an  uns,  und  ziehet  uns  auf  zu  euch  zuletzt.* 

Yesterday  Ernie  was  telling  Orchard  that  I  was 

*  Now  unto  you  the  Lord  has  done  what  we  had  wished  to  do  ; 

We  would  have  train'd  you  up,  and  now  'tis  we  are  train'd  by  you. 
With  grief  and  tears,  O  children,  do  you  your  parents  train, 
And  lure  us  on  and  up  to  you,  to  meet  in  heaven  again. 


TRIALS.  335 

going  to  plant  some  Spanish  chestnuts,  and  she  said  : 
"  Oh,  I  shall  be  dead  and  gone  before  they  are  big  ; 
what  a  pity  we  had  none  sooner !  "  and  Ernie  burst 
out  crying  and  said  :  "  No,  you  must  not  die  alone — 
I  don't  like  people  to  die  alone  ;  we  must  die  all  to- 
gether!  "  He  has  said  the  same  to  me  before,  poor 
darling.  After  Lenchen's  [Princess  Christian's]  boys 
were  gone,  and  he  had  seen  Eddy  and  Georgy  [sons 
of  the  Prince  of  Wales],  his  own  loss  came  fresh  upon 
him,  and  he  cried  for  his  litde  brother!  It  is  the 
remaining  behind  the  loss,  the  missing  of  the 
dear  ones,  that  is  the  cruel  thing  to  bear.  Only 
time  can  teach  one  that,  and  resignation  to  a  Higher 
Will.    ^^    ''    =•= 

Darmstadt,  November  gtli. 
*  *  *  The  new  Church  laws  (similar  to  the 
Prussian)  go  through  our  Upper  Chamber  to-morrow, 
and  will  meet  with  great  opposition.  Louis  is,  of 
course,  for  accepting  them,  as  a  check  must  be  put 
on  the  Catholics  ;  for  the  Catholic  clergy  are  paid  by 
the  State  as  well  as  the  Protestant,  so  that  the  State 
has  an  equal  right  over  both  ;  but  this  right  the 
Catholics  have  for  years  managed  to  evade.  The 
Bishop  of  Mayence  is  doing  his  utmost  to  create 
every  possible  obstacle,  but  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  one 
will  not  here  have  to  have  recourse  to  the  method 
of  fines  and  imprisonment  as  in  Prussia     ^     '^     -^ 

November  i6th. 
Many  thanks  for  your  dear  letter,  and  for  the 
advice,  which,  as  a  mark  of  your  interest  in  our 
children,  is  very  precious,  besides  being  so  good ! 
What  you  mention  I  have  never  lost  sight  of,  and 
there  is,  as  you  say,  nothing  more  injurious  for 
children  than  that  they  should  be  made  a  fuss  about. 


33^  •  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

I  want  to  make  them  unselfish,  unspoiled,  and  con- 
tented ;  as  yet  this  is  the  case.  That  they  take  a 
greater  place  in  my  life,  than  is  often  the  case  in  our 
families,  comes  from  my  not  being  able  to  have 
enough  persons  of  a  responsible  sort  to  take  charge 
of  them  always  ;  certain  things  remain  undone  from 
that  reason,  if  I  do  not  do  them,  and  they  would  be 
the  losers.  I  certainly  do  not  belong  by  nature  to 
those  women  who  are  above  all  ivife ;  but  circum- 
stances have  forced  me  to  be  the  mother  in  the  real 
sense,  as  in  a  private  family,  and  I  had  to  school  my- 
self to  it,  I  assure  you,  for  many  small  self-denials 
have  been  necessary.  Baby-worship,  or  having  the 
children  indiscriminately  about  one,  is  not  at  all  the 
right  thing,  and  a  perpetual  talk  about  one's  children 
makes  some  women  intolerable.  I  hope  I  steer  clear 
of  these  faults — at  least  I  try  to  do  so,  for  I  can  only 
agree  in  evay  word  you  say,  as  does  Louis,  to  whom 
I  read  it  ;  and  he  added  when  I  was  reading  your 
remarks  :  "  Das  thust  Du  aber  nicht.  Die  Kinder 
und  andere  Menschen  wissen  gar  nicht,  was  Du  fiir 
sie  thust  "  ["  But  you  don't  do  so.  Neither  the  chil- 
dren nor  anybody  else  knows  what  you  do  for 
them  "].  He  has  often  complained  that  I  would  not 
have  the  children  enough  in  my  room,  but,  being  of 
your  opinion,  where  it  was  not  necessary,  I  thought 
it  better  not.     *"'     *     * 

December  12th. 

I  enclose  a  few  lines  to  Mr.  Martin.*  I  have  only 
had  time  to  look  at  the  preface,  and  am  very  glad  to 
hear  that  you  are  satisfied. 

With  what  interest  shall  I  read  it !  You  will  re- 
ceive these  lines  on  the  14th.     Last  year  I  had  the 

*  The  first  volume  of  whose  "  Life  of  tlie  Prince  Consort"  had  just  been 
published. 


TRIALS. 


Vol 


comfort  of  being  near  you.  It  did  me  real  good 
then,  and  I  thank  you  again  for  those  short  and 
quiet  days,  where*  the  intercourse  with  you  was  so 
soothing  to  my  aching  heart.  There  is  no  Umgang 
[intercourse]  I  know,  that  gives  me  more  happiness 
than  when  I  can  be  with  you — above  all,  in  quiet. 
The  return  to  the  so-called  world  I  have  barely 
made.  Life  is  serious — a  journey  to  another  end. 
The  flowers  God  sends  to  brighten  our  path  I  take 
with  gratitude  and  enjoy ;  but  much  that  was  dearest, 
most  precious,  which  this  day  commemorates,  is  in  the 
grave  ;  part  of  my  heart  is  there  too,  though  their 
spirits,  adored  Papa's,  live  on  with  me,  the  holiest 
and  brightest  part  of  life,  a  star  to  lead  us,  were  we 
but  equal  to  following  it !  The  older  I  grow,  the 
more  perfect,  the  more  touching  and  good,  dear 
Papa's  image  stands  before  me.  Such  an  entire  life 
for  duty,  so  joyously  and  unpretendingly  borne  out, 
remains  for  all  times  something  inexpressibly  fine 
and  grand  !  With  it  how  tender,  lovable,  gay,  he  was ! 
I  can  never  talk  of  him  to  others  who  have  not 
known  him,  without  tears  in  my  eyes — as  I  have 
them  now.  He  was2.v\A  is  my  ideal.  I  never  knew 
a  man  fit  to  place  beside  him,  or  so  made  to  be 
devotedly  loved  and  admired.     *     *      '=' 

December  i4ih. 

Before  this  day  is  over,  I  must  write  a  few  words 
— my  thoughts  are  so  much  with  you  and  with  the 
past,  the  bright,  happy  past  of  my  childhood,  where 
beloved  Papa  was  the  centre  of  this  rich  and  happy 
existence.  I  have  spent  nearly  the  whole  day  with 
the  precious  volume  which  speaks  so  much  of  you 
and  of  him. 

What  a  man  in  every  sense  of  the  word  ;  what  a 
Prince  he  was — so  entirely  what  the  dear  old  Baron 


338  PRIA^CESS  ALICE. 

[Stockmar]  urged  him  always  to  be!  Life  with  him 
must  have  seemed  to  you  so  secure  and  well- 
guarded.  How  you  must  liave  loved  him !  It 
makes  one's  heart  ache  again  and  again,  in  reading 
and  thinking  of  all  dear  Papa  was  to  you,  that  you 
should  have  had  to  part  from  him  in  the  heat  of  the 
day,  when  he  was  so  necessary.  Jkni  ist  zvohl  [With 
him  it  is  well].  A  life  like  his  was  a  whole  long  life- 
time, though  only  twenty-two  years,  and  he  well 
deserved  his  rest ! 

The  hour  is  nearing  when  we  last  held  and  pressed 
his  hand  in  life,  now  thirteen  years  ago.  How  well 
I  recollect  that  last  sunrise,  and  then  the  dreadful 
night  with  you  that  followed  on  that  too  awful  day ! 
But  it  is  not  well  to  dwell  on  these  things,  when  we 
have  the  bright,  sunny  past  to  look  back  to.  Tenny- 
son's beautiful  Dedication  '^  expresses  all  one  feels 
and  would  wish  to  say.  I  can  only  add,  with  a  heavy- 
drawn  sigh,  "  Oh,  to  be  worthier  of  stccJi  a  Father!" 
How  far  beneath  him,  if  not  always  in  aims,  at  least 
in  their  fulfilment,  have  I  always  remained ! 

December  17th. 
My  best  thanks  for  the  letter  of  the  i5th.  Poor 
Colonel  Grey's  f  death  is  shocking,  and  Bertie  and 
Alix  are  sure  to  have  felt  it  deeply.  Dear  Bertie's 
true  and  constant  heart  suffers  on  such  occasions, 
for  he  can  be  constant  in  friendship,  and  all  who 
serve  him  serve  him  with  warm  attachment.  I  hope 
he  won't  give  way  to  the  idea  of  Sandringham  being 
unlucky,  though  so  much  that  has  been  trying  and 
sad  has  happened  to  them  there  !  Superstition  is 
surely  a  thing  to  fight  against  ;  above  all,  with  the 
feeline  that  all  is  in  God's  hands,  not  in  ours  ! 

o 

*  To  "  The  Idyls  of  the  King." 

f  Only  child  of  Sir  George  Grey,  and  Equerry  to  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
He  died  at  Sandringham  of  inflammation  of  the  lungs. 


TRIALS.  339 

How  interesting-  the  book  is  ["  Life  of  the  Prince 
Consort  'J  !  I  have  finished  it,  and  am  bcfriedigt 
[satisfied].  It  was  a  difficult  undertaking,  but  Mr. 
Martin  seems  to  have  done  it  very  well. 

I  am  sure  dear  Osborne  is  charming  as  ever,  but 
I  can't  think  of  that  large  house  so  empty  ;  no  chil- 
dren any  more  ;  it  must  seem  so  forsaken  in  our  old 
wing.  I  have  such  a  Heiniweh  [yearning]  to  see 
Osborne  again  after  more  than  six  years.     *     *     '*' 


1875. 

Each  year  the  Princess  Alice  endeavored  by 
some  public  effort  or  other — either  a  dramatic  or 
musical  performance — to  collect  funds  for  her  many 
charitable  institutions  which,  as  they  extended  their 
field  of  usefulness,  were  more  and  more  in  need  of 
pecuniary  help.  Artists  as  well  as  amateurs  gladly 
offered  their  services  on  all  such  occasions. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  year  the  Prince  and 
Princess  and  their  children  went  to  England  for  two 
months,  spending  part  of  the  time  with  the  Queen, 
and  part  with  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales. 
The  two  eldest  daughters,  Victoria  and  Elizabeth, 
accompanied  their  grandmother  to  Balmoral  in  May. 

The  whole  family  returned  to  Darmstadt  at  the 
end  of  June.  In  July  the  Prince  and  Princess  Louis 
were  present  at  the  "  coming  of  age"  of  the  Hered^ 
itary  Grand  Duke  of  Baden.  The  rest  of  the  sum- 
mer was  spent  at  Kranichstein. 

In  1874  the  Hessian  Government  had  amended 
their  educational  laws  for  the  schools,  and  had  estab- 
lished, as  a  fundamental  principle,  that  needle-work 


340  PHINCESS  ALICE. 

in  all  its  branches  should  be  taught  in  all  girls' 
schools,  and  that  suitable  teachers  for  this  purpose 
should  be  engaged.  To  meet  this  necessity,  a 
course  of  lectures  and  instruction  in  the  art  of  nee- 
dle-work was  instituted  by  the  "  Alice  Society,"  open 
to  women  and  girls  of  all  classes.  This  has  proved 
in  its  results  of  real  blessing  and  benefit  to  the  whole 
country. 

[The  next  two  letters  arose  out  of  the  expression 
of  an  opinion  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  Prince  Con- 
sort's friends,  that  the  publication  of  his  Life  under 
the  sanction  of  the  Queen,  with  unreserved  fulness 
of  details,  had  been  premature.] 

Darmstadt,  January  3d,  1875. 

*  *  *  It  is  touching  and  fine  in  you  to  allow 
the  world  to  have  so  much  insight  into  your  private 
life,  and  allow  others  to  have  what  has  been  only  yotir 
property  and  our  inheritance. 

People  can  only  be  the  better  for  reading  about 
dear  Papa,  such  as  he  was,  and  such  as  so  feelingly 
and  delicately  Mr.  Theodore  Martin  places  him 
before  them.  To  me  the  volume  is  inexpressibly 
precious,  and  opens  a  field  for  thought  in  various 
senses. 

For  the  frivolous  higher  classes  how  valuable  this 
book  will  be,  if  read  with  real  attention,  as  a  record 
of  a  life  spent  in  the  highest  aims,  with  the  noblest 
conception  of  duty  as  a  leading  star. 

To  this  letter  Her  Majesty  replied : 

Osborne,  January  12,  1875. 
Dearest  Alice  :— *     *     *     Now  as  regards  the 
book.     If  you   will  reflect  a  few  minutes,  you  will- 


TRIALS.  341 

see  how  I  owed  it  to  beloved  Papa  to  let  his  noble 
character  be  known  and  understood,  as  it  now  is, 
and  that  to  wait  loriger,  when  those  who  knew  him 
best — his  own  wife,  and  a  few  (very  few  there  are) 
remaining-  friends — were  all  gone,  or  too  old,  and  too 
far  removed  from  that  time,  to  be  able  to  present  a 
really  true  picture  of  his  most  ideal  and  remarkable 
character,  would  have  been  really  wrong. 

He  must  be  known,  for  his  own  sake,  for  the  good 
of  England  and  of  his  family,  and  of  the  world  at 
large.  Countless  people  write  to  say,  what  good  it 
does  and  will  do.  And  it  is  already  thirteen  years 
since  he  left  us  ! 

Then  you  must  also  remember,  that  endless  false 
and  untrue  thino^s  have  been  written  and  said  about 
us,  public  and  private,  and  that  in  these  days  people 
will  write  and  will  know  :  therefore  the  only  way  to 
counteract  this  is  to  let  the  real,  full  truth  be  known, 
and  as  much  be  told  as  can  be  told  with  prudence 
and  discretion,  and  then,  no  harm,  but  good,  will  be 
done.  Nothing  will  help  me  more,  than  that  my 
people  should  see  what  I  have  lost!  Numbers  of 
people  we  knew  have  had  their  Lives  and  Memoirs 
published,  and  some  beautiful  ones  :  Bunsen's  by  his 
wife;  Lord  Elgin's,  by  his  (very  touching  and  inter- 
esting);  Lord  Palmerston's  ;  etc.,  etc. 

"  The  Early  Years  "  volume  was  begun  for  private 
circulation  only,  and  then  General  Grey  and  many  of 
Papa's  friends  and  advisers  begged  me  to  have  it 
published.  This  was  done.  The  work  was  most 
popular  and  greatly  liked.  General  Grey  could  not 
go  on  with  it,  and  asked  me  to  ask  Sir  A.  Helps  to 
continue  it,  and  he  said  that  he  could  not,  but  rec- 
ommended ]\lr.  Theodore  Martin  as  one  of  the  most 
eminent  writers  of  the  day,  and  hoped  I   could  pre- 


342  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

vail  on  him  to  undertake  this  great  national  work. 
I  did  succeed,  and  he  has  taken  seven  years  to  pre- 
pare the  whole,  supplied  by  me  with  every  letter 
and  extract ;  and  a  deal  of  time  it  took,  but  I  felt  it 
would  be  a  national  sacred  work.  You  must,  I 
think,  see  I  am  right  now  ;  Papa  and  I  too  would  have 
suffered  otherwise.  I  think  even  the  German  side 
of  his  character  will  be  understood. 

One  of  the  things  that  phrases  people  most  is  the 
beautiful  way  in  which  he  took  all  good  Stockmar's 
often  very  severe  observations.  And  they  also  admire 
so  much  good  old  Stockmar's  honesty,  fearlessness, 
and  are  pleased  to  be  shown  what  a  dear  warm-heart- 
ed old  man  he  was.     Your  devoted  Mama, 

V.  R. 

January  iSth. 

*  *  *  The  service  in  Dr.  Weber's  study  be- 
fore the  open  coffin,  filled  with  flowers,  was  very 
affecting.  He  was  truly  beloved  and  respected. 
His  suflerings  must  have  been  intense,  and  for  many 
years  borne  heroically — not  a  word  said  ;  not  a  com- 
plaint ;  always  ready  to  bear  the  sorrows  of  others 
with  them,  yet  bearing  his  own  unassisted  !  Won- 
derful self-command  and  unselfishness!  He  knew 
his  illness  was  fatal  ;  even  to  the  latter  weeks  con- 
sidered his  days  as  but  few,  and  put  all  in  order, 
without  letting  his  family  and  friends  know  what  he 
himself  only  too  well  foresaw. 

It  was  a  stormy  afternoon  with  pouring  rain  when 
he  was  buried.  Louis,  his  poor  boy,  and  many 
were  out.     *      "'     * 

We  have  April  weather.  I  have  a  very  heavy 
cold,  and  feel  so  weak  and  done  up.  It  is  too  warm 
and  unhealthy  ;  every  place  smells,  our  house  espe- 
cially. 


TRIALS.  343 

January  27th. 

*  *  *  y[_y  little  May  has  such  a  cold,  which 
lessens  her  usual  smiles.  She  is  a  fine,  strong  child, 
more  like  what  Victoria  was,  but  marked  eyebrows, 
with  the  fair  hair  and  such  speaking  eyes.  She  and 
Aliky  are  a  pretty  contrast ! 

February  14th. 

You  say  of  the  drains  just  what  I  have  said  from 
year  to  year;  and  this  summer — if  we  can  get  away 
in  the  spring,  when  it  is  most  unwholesome — what 
can  be  done  is  to  be  done,  and  I  hope  with  better 
success  than  what  has  hitherto  been  attempted. 

My  little  May  cannot  get  rid  of  her  cough,  though 
she  looks  pink  and  smiling.  I  shall  be  so  glad  to 
show  her  to  you — she  is  so  pretty  and  dear. 

My  father-in-law  has  for  the  first  time  got  the 
gout  in  his  feet,  and  is  so  depressed.  Uncle  Louis 
suffers  dreadfully  from  oppression  at  night,  so  that 
he  can't  remain  in  bed.  He  is  a  good  deal  aged, 
and  stoops  dreadfully.     '^'     *     * 

March  14th. 

Louis  gave  me  a  dreadful  fright  last  week  by  sud- 
denly breaking  through  the  ice,  and  at  a  very  deep 
place.  He  laid  his  arms  over  the  thicker  ice,  and 
managed  to  keep  above  water  till  some  one  was  near 
enough  to  help  him  out.  He  said  the  water  drew 
immensely,  and  he  feared  getting  under  the  ice. 
The  gentleman,  who  is  very  tall,  lay  down  and 
stretched  his  arms  out  to  Louis,  another  man  hold- 
ing the  former :  and  so  he  got  out  without  ill  effects. 
As  it  was  at  Kranichstein,  he  undressed  and  rubbed 
himself  before  the  stove  in  the  Verwalter's  [land- 
steward's]  room  ;  and  he  came  home  in  the  Verwal- 
ter's clothes,  which  looked  very  funny.     *     *     '^' 


344  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Marlborough  House,  May  15th. 

I  did  not  half  thank  you  yesterday  for  our  pleasant 
visit.  I  could  not  trust  myself  to  speak.  I  felt 
leaving  you  again  so  much.  It  has  been  a  great 
happiness  to  me,  so  wohllhuend  [doing  me  so  much 
good]  to  have  been  with  you,  and  I  can  never  ex- 
press what  I  feel,  as  I  would,  nor  how  deep  and  ten- 
der my  love  and  gratitude  to  you  are  !  The  older  I 
grow,  the  more  precious  the  Verhdltniss  [relation] 
to  a  mother  becomes  to  me,  and  how  doubly  so  to 
you  ! 

Louis  feels  as  I  do  ;  his  love  to  you  has  always 
been  as  to  his  own  mother  ;  and  my  tears  begin  to 
run  when  I  recall  your  dear  face  and  voice,  which  to 
see  and  hear  again  has  seemed  so  natural,  so — as  it 
ought  to  be  !  that  it  is  quite  difficult  to  accustom  my- 
self to  the  thought  that  only  in  memory  can  I  enjoy 
them  now. 

How  I  do  love  you,  sweet  Mama  !  There  is  no 
sacrifice  I  would  not  make  for  you  !  and  as  our 
meetings  are  of  late  years  so  fleeting  and  far  be- 
tween, when  they  are  over  I  feel  the  separation  very 

hie.          it.           <• 


Marlborough  House,  June  15th. 

*  *  *  God  bless  you,  my  precious  Mother, 
watch  over  and  guard  you  ;  and  let  your  blessing 
and  motherly  interest  accompany  us  and  our  chil- 
dren !  Louis'  tenderest  love  ;  many,  many  kisses 
from  all  children,  and  William's  respectful  duty  ! 

Kranichstein,  June  20th, 

*  *  *  All  Victoria  and  Ella  tell  me  of  their 
stay  at  Balmoral — the  many  things  you  gave  them 
and  their  people — touches  me  so  much  :  let  me  thank 
you  so  many  times  again.  I  feel  I  did  not  half  say 
enough,  but  you  know  how  much  I  feel  it ! 


TRIALS.  345 

Our  journey  did  very  well  ;  no  one  was  ill,  after 
that  dreadful  storgi — a  piece  of  luck.  You  are  now 
again  at  Windsor.  How  much  I  think  of  you  and 
of  dear  Beatrice  ! 

July  loth. 

*  *  *  We  got  home  from  Carlsruhe  at  eleven 
o'clock  last  night.  We  went  there  on  Thursday  ; 
arrived  at  two  ;  were  received  there  by  Fritz  and 
Louise  and  the  Emperor  ;  found  dear  Marie  Lein- 
ingen  and  Hermann  and  Leopoldine  there.  Fritz 
W.  arrived  half  an  hour  afterwards  from  Vienna,  hav- 
ing met  with  a  railway  accident  in  the  night  ;  but  he 
was,  thank  God,  unhurt — barely  shaken. 

It  was  frightfully  hot  !  Family  dinner  at  five  ; 
then  a  drive  about  the  town,  which  was  decked  with 
flaes.  At  nine  in  the  eveniuQ^  a  lars^e  soiree  and 
continual  circle  !  and  supper — sttch  a  heat !  At  eight 
next  morning  in  gala,  church  service.  Fritz  (son) 
for  the  first  time  in  uniform  with  the  Black  Eagle  ; 
then  at  ten  a  very  fine  parade,  in  which  Fritz 
marched  pastas  second  lieutenant  with  his  regiment. 
The  troops  were  so  fine  ;  the  Emperor  led  his  own 
regiment  past,  and  it  was  a  very  moving  sight,  with 
a  great  deal  of  cheering.  At  two  there  was  a  large 
banquet,  at  which  Fritz  made  a  beautiful  speech,  and 
the  Emperor  a  very  good  answer. 

All  Fritz's  (son)  former  school-fellows,  and  the 
different  schools  and  masters,  came  by  in  procession, 
and  the  day  was  very  fatiguing.  He  is  such  a  good 
boy.  His  former  tutor,  who  finished  his  task  of  ed- 
ucation yesterday,  said  to  me  :  "P>  ist  ein  guter 
Mensch  und  die  Wahrheit  selber  "  [He  is  a  good 
man,  and  truth  itself].  He  was  very  self-possessed, 
modest,  and  civil,  talking  to  every  one.  He  is  full 
of  promise,   and    has   been   carefully   and  lovingly 


34^  PR^A'CESS  ALICE. 

brought  up  by  his  parents,  who  are  such  excellent 
people.     I  have  the  greatest  regard  for  them. 

I  told  the  Emperor  the  fright  we  had  about  the 
war.  He  was  much  distressed,  that  any  one  could 
believe  him  capable  of  such  a  thing  ;  but  our  Fritz 
and  Fritz  of  Baden  agree  that,  with  Bismarck,  in 
spite  of  the  nation  not  wishino-  it,  he  mieht  bring" 
about  a  war  at  any  moment.  Our  Fritz  spoke  so 
jusdy  and  reasonably — quite  anti-war — and  I  told 
him  all  the  opinions  I  had  gathered  and  heard  in 
London  ;  and  he  was  much  grieved  and  worried,  I 
could  see  ;  but  it  must  and  can  be  prevented,  if  all 
are  against  it,  I  am  sure.  This  enormous  and  splen- 
did army,  ready  at  any  moment,  is  a  dangerous  pos- 
session for  any  country.     *     *     * 

Kranichstein,  October  7th. 
*  *  *  To-day  my  eyes  will  not  remain  dry ; 
the  recollection  of  five  years  ago,  which  brought  us 
joy  and  promise  of  more  in  our  sweet  second  boy,  is 
painful  in  the  extreme.  The  sudden  ending  of  that 
young  life ;  the  gap  this  has  left ;  the  recollections 
that  are  now  but  to  be  enjoyed  in  silent  memory, 
will  leave  a  heart-ache  and  a  sore  place,  beside 
where  there  is  much  happiness  and  cause  for  grati- 
tude. The  six  children  and  we,  with  endless  flowers 
and  tears,  decked  his  litde  grave  this  morning,  and 
some  sad  lines  of  Byron's  struck  me  as  having  much 
truth  in  the  pain  of  such  moments — 

But  when  I  stood  beneath  the  fresh  green  tree, 
Which  Hving  waves  where  thou  didst  cease  to  live, 
And  saw  around  me  the  wide  field  revive 
With  fruits  and  fertile  promise,  and  the  Spring 
Come  forth  her  work  of  gladness  to  contrive. 
With  all  her  reckless  birds  upon  the  wing, 
I  turn'd  from  all  she  brouglit,  to  those  she  could  not  bring.* 

*  "Childe  Harold,"  canto  iii.,  stanza  30. 


TRIALS.  347 

The  weather  is  fine  ;  it  was  much  like  this  five 
years  ago,  but  ^;ound  Metz  it  rained.  Louis  was 
turning  into  quarters  with  his  troops  from  a  sortie, 
and  he  called  the  news  out  to  the  regiments  as  he 
rode  along,  and  they  gave  a  cheer  for  their  little 
Prince ! 

It  was  a  dreadful  time  of  trial  and  separation  for 
both  of  us,  and  Frittie  was  such  a  comfort  and  conso- 
lation to  me  in  all  my  loneliness. 

How  sorry  I  am  for  poor  Alix  at  this  long  separa- 
tion !  '•"  For  her  sake  I  grieve  at  the  impossibility 
of  her  accompanying  him. 

We  hope  to  get  back  to  our  house  by  the  19th, 
though  there  will  be  an  end  of  nice  walks  for  the 
next  eight  months — the  town  grows  so,  and  is  all 
railroad  and  coal  heaps  where  we  had  our  walks  for- 
merly, and  the  town  pavement  in  the  streets  is 
most  unpleasant  walking.     *     *     * 

ScHLOss  Kranichstein,  October  16th. 

For  your  dear  letter  and  for  the  inclosures  I  am  so 
grateful,  but  distressed  beyond  measure  at  dear  Fan- 
nie's  [Lady  Frances  Baillie].  I  had  a  long  letter 
from  her  some  weeks  back,  when  she  was  more 
hopeful  about  dear  Augusta  [Stanley].  This  is  too 
much  sorrow  for  them  all!  Fannie  I  loved  as  a  sis- 
ter, and  dear  Augusta's  devotion  and  self-sacrifice  to 
you,  and  even  to  us  in  those  dreadful  years,  was 
something  rare  and  beautiful.  Her  whole  soul  and 
heart  were  in  the  duty,  which  to  her  was  a  sacred 
one.  The  good,  excellent  Dean!  My  sympathy  is 
so  great  with  these  three  kind  and  good  people  so 
sorely  tried.    I  grieve  for  you  too !    God  help  them  ' 

October  26th. 
How  sorry  I  am  for  dear  good  old  Mrs.  Brown 

*  During  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  to  India. 


348  PJilNCESS  ALICE. 

and  for  her  sons.'^'  Please  say  something'  sympa- 
thizing from  me;  her  bhndness  is  such  a  trial,  poor 
soul,  at  that  age.  How  gloomily  life  must  close  for 
her ! 


1876. 

Although  this  new  year  brought  no  actual  change 
to  the  usual  routine  of  the  daily  life  in  the  Princess' 
home,  and  although  the  Princess  was  able  to  fulfil 
her  social  duties,  traces  of  serious  illness  now  began 
to  show  themselves  by  repeated  attacks  of  exhaus- 
tion and  weakness.  These  attacks  were  partially 
relieved  by  a  short  stay  in  the  Black  Forest  in  June, 
and  by  a  visit  to  England  and  Scotland,  which  she 
made  without  her  husband.  The  Prince  had  been 
detained  in  Germany  by  the  great  manoeuvres,  on 
the  conclusion  of  which  he  fetched  her  from  England, 
in  the  autumn.  On  their  way  back  to  Darmstadt 
they  stopped  at  Brussels.  They  also  visited  Coblenz, 
to  pay  their  respects  to  the  Empress  of  Germany^ 
who  had  been  to  see  their  children  at  Darmstadt  in 
October. 

January  i8th,  1876. 

No  words  can  express  how  deep  my  sympathy 
and  grief  is  for  what  our  dear  Augusta  and  the  Dean 
have  to  go  through.  With  her  warm,  large  heart, 
which  ever  lived  and  suffered  for  others,  how  great 
must  her  pain  be  in  having  to  leave  him  !  I  can 
positively  think  of  nothing  else  lately,  as  you  know 

*  Her  husband,  the  father  of  the  Queen's  personal  attendant,  John  Brown, 
had  just  died.     See  "  More  Leaves  from  a  Journal,"  p  319. 


TRIALS.  349 

my  love  for  Augusta,  the  General  [her  brother, 
General  Bruce],  ajid  Fanny  has  always  been  great; 
and  when  I  think  back  of  them  in  former  times,  and 
in  the  year  1861,  my  heart  aches  and  my  tears  flow 
— feeling  what  you  and  we  shall  lose  in  dear  Augusta. 
My  pity  for  the  dear,  good,  kind  Dean  is  so  deep.  I 
sent  him  a  few  words  again  to-day,  in  the  hope  he 
may  still  say  a  few  words  of  love  and  gratitude  to 
dear  Auofusta  from  me. 

Darmstadt,  January  22d. 

*  *  *  Yesterday  morning  Ernie  came  in  to 
me  and  said,  "  Mama,  I  had  a  beautiful  dream  ;  shall 
I  tell  you  ?  I  dreamt  that  I  was  dead  and  was  gone 
up  to  Heaven,  and  there  I  asked  God  to  let  me  have 
Frittie  again  ;  and  he  came  to  me  and  took  my  hand. 
You  were  in  bed,  and  saw  a  great  light,  and  were  so 
frightened,  and  I  said,  '  It  is  Ernie  and  Frittie.' 
You  were  so  astonished !  The  next  night  Frittie  and  I 
went  with  a  great  light  to  sisters."  Is  it  not  touching  ? 
He  says  such  beautiful  things,  and  has  such  deep 
poetic  thought,  yet  with    it  all  so   full   of  fun  and 

romping. 

February  gth. 

*  *  "'^  I  am  so  sorry  and  shocked  about  ex- 
cellent Mr.  Harrison.*  What  a  loss!  He  was  so 
obliging  and  kind  always  in  the  many  commissions 
for  us  children.  Poor  Krauslach,f  too — so  sad!  It 
is  too  grievous  ;  how  one  well-known  face — with  its 
many  associations- — after  another,  is  called  away  ; 
and  on  looking  back,  how  short  a  space  of  time  they 
seemed  to  have  filled  ! 

WoLFACH,   June  7th. 

*  *     '='     The   heat   here  is   excessive  ;  the  wild 

*  Secretary  in  the  office  of  tlie  Privy  Purse. 

f  The  Prince  Consort's  head  groom,   who  had  come  over  with  him  to 
England. 


350  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

flowers  covering-  every  field  are  more  beautiful  than 
I  have  ever  seen  them  anywhere — such  quantities 
of  large  forget-me-nots.  The  streams  are  very  much 
like  Scotch  ones  ;  the  valleys  are  partly  very  narrow, 
and  the  hills  wooded  to  the  very  top — rather  like 
the  Thiiringer  Wald,  but  more  different  greens  : 
such  lovely  coloring.     I  admire  the  country  so  much. 

Darmstadt,  June  23d. 

*  *  ^"  How  sorry  I  am  for  good,  kind  old  Mrs. 
Brown — to  be  blind  with  old  age  seems  so  hard,  so 
cruel  ;  but  I  am  sure  with  your  so  loving  heart  you 
have  brightened  her  latter  years  in  many  kind  ways. 
It  is  such  a  pleasure  to  do  any  thing  for  the  aged  ; 
one  has  such  a  feeling  of  respect  for  those  who  liave 
the  experience  of  a  long  life,  and  are  nearing  the 
goal. 

*  *  *  Yesterday,  again,  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander spoke  to  me,  really  rejoicing  that  the  political 
complications  were  clearing  peacefully  :  "  Dites  a 
Maman  encore  une  fois  comme  cela  me  rejouit,  et  de 
savoir  comme  c'est  elle  qui  tient  a  la  paix.  Nous  ne 
•pouvons,  nous  ne  voulons  pas  nous  brouiller  avec 
I'Angleterre.  II  faudrait  etre  fou  de  penser  a  Con- 
stantinople ou  aux  Indes  !  "  He  had  tears  in  his 
eyes,  and  seemed  so  moved,  as  if  a  dreadful  weight 
was  being  lifted  off;  so  happy  for  the  sake  of  Marie, 
and  Affie,  too,  that  matters  were  mending.  He 
showed  me  after  dinner  the  buttons  you  gave  him  ; 
spoke  also  so  affectionately  of  Bertie.  -^  ^h  *  j 
thought  of  you — thirty-nine  years  of  rule  not  to  be 
envied,  save  for  the  service  one  can  render  one's 
country  and  the  world  in  general  in  such  an  arduous 
position. 

Private  individuals  are,  of  course,  far  the  best  off 
— our  privileges  being  more  duties  than  advantages 


TRIALS.  351 

— and  their  absence  would  be  no  privation  compared 
to  the  enormous  advantage  of  being  one's  own  mas- 
ter, and  of  being  on  equaHty  with  most  people,  and 
able  to  know  men  and  the  world  as  they  are,  and 
not  merely  as  they  please  to  show  themselves  to 
please  us.     *     *     * 

Darmstadt,  July  5th. 

*  *  *  We  dined  with  Uncle  Louis,  the  Em- 
peror, etc.,  and  Grand  Duke  of  Weimar,  at  Seeheim 
yesterday.  The  Emperor  said  he  had  written  to 
you,  but  Prince  Gortschakoff  seemed  only  half-happy, 
and  said  to  me  :  "  Franchement  puis-je  vous  le  dire, 
je  desirerais  voir  I'Angleterre  grande,  forte,  decidee 
dans  la  politique,  comme  I'etait  Canning  et  les  grands 
hommes  d'etat  que  j'ai  connus  en  Angleterre  il  y  a 
quarante  ans.  La  Russie  est  grande  et  forte  ;  que 
I'Angleterre  le  soit  aussi  ;  nous  n'avons  pas  besoin 
de  faire  attention  a  tous  les  petits."  He  said  we 
made  our  foreign  policy  and  despatches  for  the  Blue 
Book,  and  not  an  open  decided  policy  before  the 
House  of  Commons  and  the  world.  It  may  interest 
you  to  hear  this  opinion,  as  it  shows  the  temper  of 
his  policy. 

September  5th. 

It  is  long  since  I  have  felt  such  pain  as  the  death 
(to  me  really  sudden  and  unexpected,  in  spite  of  the 
danger  inherent  in  her  case)  of  my  good,  devoted, 
kind  Emily  '^  has  caused  me.  My  tears  won't  cease. 
Louis,  the  children,  the  whole  household,  all  mourn 
and  grieve  with  me.  She  was  singularly  beloved, 
and  richly  deserved  to  be  so  !  Her  devotion  and 
affection  to  me  really  knew  no  bounds.  I  cannot 
think  what  it  will  be  to  miss  her.     I  have  never  been 

*The  Hon.    Emily  Caroline    Hardinge,    the  Princess'  Lady-in- Waiting, 
died  in  London  on  the  4tli  of  September,  1876. 


352  PR /ACCESS  ALICE. 

served  as  she  served  me,  and  probably  never  shall 
be  so  again.  It  is  a  wrench  that  only  those  can  esti- 
mate who  knew  her  well — like  poor  Mary  Hardinge. 
She  came  first  in  Emily's  heart,  and  the  loss  for  her 
is  quite,  quite  irreparable  !  Had  I  but  seen  dear 
Emily  again !  This  sudden,  cruel  sort  of  death 
shocks  me  so. 

How  I  should  have  nursed  and  comforted  her  had 
I  been  near  her!  She  always  wished  this,  and  told 
me  she  had  such  a  fear  of  death.  There  never 
breathed  a  more  unselfish,  orenerous,  o-Qod  character. 

September  6th. 
,  *  *  *  I  fear  you  will  find  me  so  dull,  tired, 
and  useless.  I  can  do  next  to  nothing  of  late,  and 
must  rest  so  much.  Poor  Emily !  My  thoughts 
never  leave  her.  I  cannot  yet  get  accustomed  to 
the  thought  of  her  loss. 

P.  S. — Just  received  your  dear  note.  The  accounts 
of  my  dear  Emily's  sad  end  have  just  reached  me,  and 
I  am  terribly  upset.  You  can  hardly  estimate  the 
gap,  the  blank  she  will  leave — my  only  lady,  and  in 
many  ways  Jiomine  d'affaires  We  had  been  so  much 
together  this  last  waiting  ;  every  thing  reminds  me 
of  her,  and  of  the  touching  love  she  bore  me.  Sure- 
ly some  years  more  she  would  have  lived. 

Darling  Mama,  I  don't  think  you  quite  know  how 
far  from  well  I  am,  and  how  absurdly  wanting  in 
strength.  I  only  mention  it,  that  you  should  know 
that  until  the  good  air  has  set  me  up  I  am  good  for 
next  to  nothing  ;  and  I  fear  I  sha'n't  be  able  to  come 
to  dinner  the  first  evenings.  I  hope  you  won't  mind. 
I  have  never  in  my  life  been  like  this  before.  I  live 
on  my  sofa,  and  in  the  air,  and  see  no  one,  and  yet 
go  on  losing  strength !  Of  course  this  unexpected 
shock  has  done  me  harm  too,  and  has  entailed  more 
sad  thines.     *     *     * 


TRIALS.  •      353 

Douglas'  Hotel,  ) 

Edinburgh,  Sunday,  September  nth.  f 

*  *  *  I  hear  Ernie  is  still  so  dull  and  melan- 
choly at  missing  me  ;  he  always  feels  it  most,  with 
that  tender  loving  heart  of  his.  God  preserve  and 
guard  this  to  me  so  inexpressibly  precious  child !  I 
fency  that  seldom  a  mother  and  child  so  understood 
each  other,  and  loved  each  other,  as  we  two  do.  It 
requires  no  words  ;  he  reads  in  my  eyes,  as  I  do  in 
his,  what  is  in  his  little  heart. 

It  is  so  wonderfully  still  here,  not  a  soul  in  the 
streets.  The  people  of  the  house  have  sent  up  sev- 
eral times  to  enquire  when  and  to  what  church  I  was 
o-oino- ;  so  I  shall  eo,  as  it  seems  to  shock  them, 
one's  staying  away.  I  shall  see  the  Monument  this 
afternoon,  and  go  and  see  Holyrood  again.  The 
whole  journey  here  brought  back  with  the  well-remem- 
bered scenery  the  recollection  of  my  childhood,  all 
the  happy  journeys  with  dear  Papa  and  you.  How 
the  treasured  remembrance,  with  the  deep  love,  lives 
on,  when  all  else  belongs  to  the  past! 

I  seem,  in  returning  here,  so  near  you  and  him  in  for- 
mer happy  years,  when  my  home  was  in  this  beloved 
country.  No  home  in  the  world  can  quite  become 
what  the  home  of  one's  parents  and  childhood  was, 
There  is  a  sacredness  about  it,  a  feeling  of  gratitude 
and  love  for  the  great  mercies  one  had  there.  You, 
who  never  left  country,  Geschwistcr  [kindred],  or 
home,  can  scarcely  enter  into  this  feeling. 

In  the  hopes  of  meeting  you  soon,  kissing  your 
dear  hands,  with  thanks  for  all  goodness,  and  many 
excuses  for  having  caused  so  mush  trouble.     '''     "'    * 

Buckingham  Palace,  October  19th. 
I   was   so   sad   at  parting  with  you  yesterday.      I 
could  not  half  thank  you  for  all  your  love  and  kind- 


354  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

ness  during"  those  weeks.  But  you  know  how  deep- 
ly I  feel  it ;  how  truly  grateful  I  am  to  you  ;  how 
happy  and  contented  I  am  to  be  allowed  to  be  near 
you  as  in  old  days.  Darling  Mama,  once  more, 
thousand  thanks  for  all  and  for  every  thing! 

The  journey  went  quite  well,  and  I  am  not  par- 
ticularly tired. 

Buckingham  Palace,  November  19th. 

Thousand  thanks  for  your  dear  letter  received 
this  mornino-l  I  feel  leavinof  dear  Enofland,  as 
always,  though  the  pleasure  of  being  near  the  dear 
children  again  is  very  great. 

Let  me  thank  you  once  more  from  my  heart, 
darling  Mama,  for  all  your  great  kindness,  and  for 
havinof  enabled  me  to  do  what  was  thoutrht  neces- 
sary  and  best.  I  return  so  much  stronger  and 
better  than  I  came,  in  every  way — refreshed  by  the 
pleasant  stay  in  dear  Balmoral  with  you,  and  then 
much  better  for  the  time  here.  I  feel  morally  re- 
freshed, too,  with  the  entire  change,  the  many  interests 
to  be  met  with  here,  which  is  always  so  beneficial, 
and  will  help  me  in  every  way  when  I  get  back  to 
Darmstadt.  All  this  I  have  to  thank  you  for,  and 
do  so  most  warmly. 

Louis,  who,  as  you  know,  is  full  of  love  and  affec- 
tion for  you,  is  very  grateful  for  your  kind  words, 
and  has  likewise  derived  profit  and  enjoyment  from 
his  stay  in  England. 

*  *  '^*  My  color  and  strength  have  so  much 
returned,  that  I  do  not  doubt  being  well  again  this 
winter. 

I  went  with  Dean  Stanley  to  see  Mr.  Carlyle,  who 
was  most  interesting,  and  talked  for  nearly  an  hour. 
Had  I  had  time,  I  would  have  written  down  the  con- 
versation.    The  Dean  said  he  would  try  and  do  so. 


TRIALS.  355 

With  Louise  I  visited  Mr.  Motley  also,  who  in 
his  way  is  equally  interesting,  and  has  a  great 
charm.     *      *      * " 

Darmstadt,  November  26th. 

Many  thanks  for  your  last  letter  from  Balmoral, 
received  yesterday  morning !  I  know  you  feel  leav- 
ing the  dear  place,  but  without  going  away  there  is 
no  Wiedersehcn  [meeting  again].  The  happiness  ot 
our  meeting  with  the  dear  children  was  very  great 
on  all  sides — they  eat  me  up  ! 

They  had  made  wreaths  over  the  doors,  and  had 
no  end  of  things  to  tell  me.  We  arrived  at  three, 
and  there  was  not  a  moment's  rest  till  they  were  all 
in  bed,  and  I  had  heard  the  different  prayers  and 
hymns  of  the  six,  with  all  the  little  different  confi- 
dences they  had  to  make.  My  heart  was  full  of  joy 
and  gratitude  at  being  with  them  once  more,  and  I 
prayed  God  to  make  me  fit  to  be  their  real  friend 
and  stay  as  long  as  they  require  me,  and  to  have  the 
insight  into  their  different  characters  to  guide  them 
aright,  and  to  understand  their  different  wants  and 
feelings.     This  is  so  difficult  always. 

Victoria  is  immensely  grown,  and  her  figure  is 
forming.  She  is  changing  so  much — beginning  to 
leave  the  child  and  grow  into  the  girl.  I  hear  she 
has  been  good  and  desirous  of  doing  what  is  right  ; 
and  she  has  more  to  contend  with  than  Ella,  there- 
fore double  merit  in  any  thing  she  overcomes,  and 
any  self-sacrifice  she  makes. 

Ernie  is  very  well,  and  his  birthday  was  a  great 
delight.  Sweet  little  May  is  enchanting, — "  my  iveet 
heart,"  as  she  calls  me.  Aliky  is  very  handsome 
and  dear. 

Darmstadt,  December  12th. 

I  see  this  letter  will  just  arrive  on  the  14th — day 


356  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

never  to  be  forgotten  !  How  deeply  it  is  graven  in 
my  heart — with  letters  of  blood  ;  for  the  pain  of 
losing  him,  and  of  witnessing  your  grief,  was  as 
sharp  as  any  thing  any  child  can  go  through  for  its 
beloved  parents.  Yet  God's  mercy  is  to  be  found 
through  all,  and  one  learns  to  say  *'  Thy  will  be  done," 
hard  though  it  is.     *     *     * 


1877. 

The  health  of  Prince  Charles  of  Hesse  (father  of 
Prince  Louis)  had  for  some  time  past  given  cause  for 
great  anxiety.  He  had  always  suffered  from  violent 
headaches  and  a  delicate  throat.  On  the  evening  of 
the  I  ith  of  March  he  was  seized  with  erysipelas,  and 
died  peacefully  on  the  20th.  The  Princess  shared 
the  grief  of  her  mother-in-law  and  family  most  truly  ; 
for  Prince  Charles,  though  outwardly  shy  and  retiring, 
was  a  man  of  great  cultivation  and  refinement,  and 
had  made  himself  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  was  buried  in  the  Mausoleum  at  the  Rosenhohe 
on  the  24th  of  March.  The  Grand  Duke,  who  was 
deeply  affected  by  his  brother's  death,  and  all  the 
family  were  present. 

A  month  had  scarcely  passed  since  Prince  Charles' 
death,  when  the  Grand  Duke  himself  was  attacked 
by  serious  illness  at  Seeheim,  one  of  his  summer 
residences,  near  Darmstadt,  and  died  on  the  13th  of 
June  at  the  age  of  seventy-one. 

Prince  Louis  was  the  next  heir,  and  ascended  the 
throne  as  Grand  Duke  Louis  IV. 


TRIALS.  357 

The  total  change  of  circumstances,  the  heavy 
duties  and  responsibiHties  of  her  new  position,  came 
most  unexpectedly  upon  the  Princess,  and  she 
scarcely  felt  herself  equal  to  them.  With  her  well- 
known  conscientiousness  and  high  feeling  of  duty  it 
was  not  surprising  that  they  weighed  heavily  upon 
her,  more  especially  as  her  health  had  of  late  become 
very  delicate.  Still,  the  hope  of  being  able  to  carry 
out  many  a  plan  for  the  welfare  of  her  adopted  coun- 
try encouraged  her  greatly. 

After  the  official  receptions  held  by  the  Grand 
Duke  and  Grand  Duchess  were  over,  they  left 
Darmstadt  for  the  quiet  little  watering-place  of 
Houlgate,  in  Normandy.  The  Grand  Duke  was 
only  able  to  accompany  the  Grand  Duchess  as  far  as 
Metz,  but  he  followed  her  later  on  with  the  children. 
The  rest  and  quiet  were  good  for  them  all ;  and,  ap- 
parently much  improved  in  health,  the  Grand  Duch- 
ess returned  for  the  first  time  as  "  mother  of  the 
country  "  [_La7idesinuiter'\  to  Darmstadt.  Her  recep- 
tion was  of  the  warmest  and  most  enthusiastic  nature, 
which  she  took  as  a  good  omen  for  the  future. 

The  Emperor  of  Germany  and  the  Crown  Prince 
visited  Darmstadt  at  the  end  of  September,  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  at  the  cavalry  manoeuvres,  to  the 
great  satisfaction  of  the  country. 

The  change  in  Princess  Alice's  position  in  no  wise 
affected  her  relations  to  her  many  charitable  institu- 
tions, though  she  had,  of  course,  many  new  respon- 
sibilities thrown  upon  her.     Her  constant  endeavor 


358  PJ^INCESS  ALICE. 

was  to  be  just  and  free  from  prejudice,  to  recognize 
what  was  good,  no  matter  where,  and  to  promote 
and  further  it  to  the  best  of  her  power. 

The  Grand  Duke  and  Grand  Duchess  saw  much 
of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Crown  Princess  of  Germany 
during  the  latter  part  of  the  year,  as  they  were  living 
at  Wiesbaden. 

Fraulein  Louise  Biichner,  who  had  been  for  ten 
years  so  intimately  connected  with  the  Grand 
Duchess,  not  only  as  working  with  her  for  the  good 
of  others,  but  also  by  ties  of  the  truest  friendship, 
died  on  the  28th  of  November.  Her  death  caused 
a  gap  which  was  sorely  felt.  A  few  days  before  her 
death,  when  she  was  already  confined  to  her  bed, 
she  received  a  letter  from  the  Grand  Duchess  herself, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  tenth  anniversary  of  the 
opening  of  the  "  Alice  Bazaar,"  thanking  her  for  all 
she  had  done. 

The  Grand  Duchess  had  caused  many  of  the 
pamphlets  written  by  Miss  Octavia  Hill  to  be  trans- 
lated, in  the  hopes  of  encouraging  in  Darmstadt  the 
authorities,  and  those  at  the  head  of  private  under- 
takings, to  further  exertions  for  improving  the 
condition  of  the  poor. 

Whilst  in  England  she  had  become  acquainted 
with  Miss  Octavia  Hill,  "the  warm-hearted  friend  of 
the  poor,"  and  had  visited  with  her  many  of  the 
poorer  parts  of  London.  She  felt  the  sincerest 
admiration  and  respect  for  Miss  Hill,  and  entirely 
shared  her  view,  "  that  we  must  become  the  friends 


TRIALS.  359 

of  the  poor  to  be  their  benefactors."  The  Grand 
Duchess  did  not  .wish  to  copy  exacdy  in  Germany 
what  Miss  Hill  had  done  in  London  :  but  she  hoped 
that  the  knowledge  of  what  had  been  done  in  other 
places  would  be  an  incentive  to  work  in  the  same 
direction. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  year  the  Grand  Duchess 
had  visited  in  strictest  incognito  the  worst  houses 
(in  sanitary  respects)  in  Mayence,  and  determined 
to  make  a  plan  for  the  erection  of  new  dwellings  for 
the  working  classes  there. 

Darmstadt,  January  ist. 

'"  *  *  How  beautifully  Max  Miiller's  letter '-MS 
written  and  expressed,  and  how  touchingly  and  truly 
he  puts  the  point  of  view  on  which  we  all  should 
learn  to  stand.  To  become  again  pure  as  children, 
with  a  child's  faith  and  trust — there  where  our  human 
intellect  will  ever  stand  still  ! 

I  have  been  reading  some  of  Robertson's  sermons 
again,  and  I  think  his  view  of  Christianity  one  of  the 
truest,  warmest,  and  most  beautiful  I  know.    *    "^    * 

Darmstadt,  March  23d. 

Thank  you  so  much  for  your  dear  and  sympathiz- 
ing letter.  These  have  been  most  painful — most 
distressing  days — so  harrowing. 

The  recollections  of  1 861,  of  dear  Frittie's  death, 
when  my  dear  father-in-law  was  so  tender  and  kind, 
were  painfully  vivid.  My  mother-in-law's  resigna- 
tion and  touching  goodness,  doing  all  that  she  could 
during  the  illness  and  since  for  all  arrangements,  is 
very  beautiful ! 

*  Written  after  the  death  of  his  daughter. 


360  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

The  poor  sons  gave  way  to  bursts  of  tears  during 
those  agonizing  hours  ;  yet  they  held  their  father 
alternately  with  me,  and  were  quiet  and  helpful  for 
their  mother  and  for  him,  just  as  their  simple,  quiet 
natures  teach  them.  I  begged  Bauerlein  to  write  to 
you  meanwhile.  I  am  feeling  so  exhausted,  and 
there  is  so  much  to  do,  and  we  are  always  goino- 
from  one  house  to  the  other. 

It  was  heart-rending  from  Monday  morn  till  Tues- 
day eve  to  see  the  painful  alteration  in  the  dear  well- 
known  features  augmenting  from  hour  to  hour, 
though  I  believe  he  did  not  suffer  latterly.  He  was 
not  conscious,  unless  spoken  to,  or  called  very 
directly. 

^  My  mother-in-law  never  left  his  bedside  day  or 
night,  and  we  were  only  a  few  hours  absent  on  Mon- 
day night.  Before  we  went  home  she  called  our 
names  distincdy  to  him  as  we  kissed  him,  and  he 
seemed  to  notice  it  ;  then  she  knelt  down,  and  dis- 
tinctly, but  choked  with  tears,  prayed  the  Lord's 
Prayer  for  him,  calling  him  gently. 

The  next  day  at  six  we  were  there  again,  and  till 
half  past  six  in  the  evening  never  left  the  bedside. 
She  repeated  occasionally,  as  long  as  she  thought  he 
might  hear,  a  short  verse — so  touching!  and  once 
said  :  "  Bist  Du  traurig  ?  es  ist  ja  nicht  auf  lange, 
dann  sind  wir  wieder  zusammen  !  "  ["  Art  thou  sad.-* 
It  is  not  for  long,  and  then  we  shall  be  together 
again  "]  kissing  and  stroking  his  hands.  It  was  very 
distressing. 

When  all  was  over  we  four  were  close  to  her,  and 
she  threw  herself  on  him,  and  then  clasped  her  sons 
to  her  heart  with  words  of  such  grief  as  you  so  well 
understand  ! 

Early  the  next  morning  we  went  with  her  to  his 


TRIALS.  361 

room.  He  lay  on  his  bed,  very  peaceful,  in  his  uni- 
form. Louis  hadclasped  the  hands  together  when 
he  died,  and  I  arranged  flowers  on  the  bed  and  in 
the  room  round  him. 

There  is  a  terrible  deal  to  do  and  to  arrange,  and 
many  people  come,  and  we  are  much  with  my  poor 
mother-in-law.  Yesterday  we  went  for  the  last  time 
to  see  the  remains  of  what  had  been  so  precious. 
She  read  a  "  Lied  "  [a  hymn],  and  then  kissed  him 
so  long,  and  took  with  us  the  last  look.  Yesterday 
evening  the  coffin  was  closed  in  presence  of  the  sons. 

We  are  going  to  the  Rosenhohe  [the  Mausoleum] 
now,  before  going  to  Louis'  mother,  to  put  things 
straight  there,  and  see  if  one  can  get  by  dear  Frittie 
— it  is  so  small. 

The  three  brothers  are  dreadfully  upset,  but  able 
to  arrange  and  see  after  what  is  necessary.  Aunt 
Marie  [the  Empress  of  Russia]  wanted  to  come,  and 
is  in  terrible  distress  ;  she  loved  that  brother  beyond 
any  thing.  In  her  last  letter  to  my  mother-in-law 
she  says  :  "  Ich  habe  solche  Sehnsucht  nach  dem 
alten  Bruder "  ["  I  have  such  a  yearning  after  my 
old  brother  "]. 

His  was  a  singularly  delicate-minded,  pure,  true, 
unselfish  nature,  so  full  of  consideration  for  others, 
so  kind.  My  tears  flow  incessantly,  for  I  loved  him 
very  dearly. 

My  dear  mother-in-law  has  such  a  broken,  ruined 
existence  now — all  turned  round  him  !  She  knows 
where  to  find  strength  and  comfort — it  will  not  fail 
her.     *     *     * 

Darmstadt,  June  7th. 

%  *  :i:  "YY^  2X&  g'oiiig'  through  a  dreadful  ordeal. 
The  whole  of  Monday  and  Monday  night,  with  a 
heat  beyond  words,  dreading  the  worst.     Now  there 


362  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

has  been  a  slight  rally/'=  Whether  it  will  continue 
to-morrow  is  doubtful.  He  is  always  conscious, 
makes  his  little  jokes,  but  the  pulse  is  very  low 
and  intermits.  I  was  there  early  this  mornino-  with 
Louis.     *     *     * 

The  questions,  long  discussions  between  Louis 
and  some  people,  as  to  complication  and  difficulty  of 
every  kind  that  will  at  once  fall  upon  us,  are  really 
dreadful,  and  I  so  unfit  just  now!  The  confusion 
will  be  dreadful.     *     *     '■^• 

I  am  so  dreading-  every  thing,  and  above  all  the 
responsibility  of  being  the  first  in  every  thing,  and 
people  are  not  bic7iveillant. 

I  shall  send  you  news  whenever  I  can,  but  I  am 
so  worn  out.  I  shall  not  be  able  to  do  so  much 
myself. 

I  know  your  thoughts  and  wishes  are  with  us 
at  so  hard  a  time.  God  grant  we  may  do  all 
ario-ht !     *     *     '^' 

o 

Telegrams. 

June  7th, 
Going  to  Seeheim,  as  great  weakness  has  come 
on.     Am  much  tired  by  all  that  lies  before  us,  and 
not  feelinof  well. 

Seeheim,  13th. 
Dear  Uncle  Louis  is  no  more.    We  arrived  too  late. 

Darmstadt,  6.20  o'clock,  13th. 
Such  press  of  business  and  decisions.     Feel  very 
tired. 

15th. 
We  are  both  so  over-tired  ;  the  press  of  business 
and  decisions  is  so  wearing,  with  the  new  responsi- 
bility. 

*  The  Grand  Duke  of  Ilesse  was  alarmingly  ill. 


TRIALS.  363 

iSth. 

Last  ceremony  over !  All  went  off  well,  and  was 
very  moving.  Alice. 

Darmstadt,  June  19th. 

Only  two  words  of  thanks  from  both  of  us  for  your 
kind  wishes  and  letters !  Christian  and  Colonel 
Gardiner  bring  you  news  of  every  thing  that  has 
been  and  is  still  going  on.  But  we  are  over- 
whelmed, over-tired,  and  the  heat  is  getting  very 
bad  again. 

'<•  *  ^  Will  tell  you  what  a  very  difficult  posi- 
tion we  are  in.  It  is  too  dreadful  to  think  that  I  am 
forced  to  leave  Louis  in  a  few  weeks  under  present 
circumstances,  but,  if  he  wishes  to  keep  me  at  all,  I 
must  leave  every  thing  and  this  heat  for  a  time. 
These  next  weeks  here  will  be  very  anxious  and 
difficult.     God  grant  we  may  do  the  right  things  ! 

June  2Sth. 

*  *  *  1  o  have  to  go  away  just  now,  when  the 
refreshment  of  family  life  is  so  doubly  pleasant  to 
Louis  after  his  work,  I  am  too  sorry  for.  If  I  were 
only  better  ;  if  I  only  thought  that  I  shall  have  the 
chance  of  rest,  and  what  is  necessary  to  regain  my 
health  !  Now  it  will  be  more  difficult  than  ever,  and 
I  see  Louis  has  the  fear,  which  I  also  have,  that  I 
shall  not  hold  out  very  long. 

July  15th. 

*  *  -^  I  leave  on  Tuesday,  but  stop  on  the 
way.  The  children  go  direct  and  join  me  in  Paris, 
when  we  go  on  together  on  Friday  or  Saturday  to 
Houlgate.  The  trains  don't  fit,  and  one  has  some 
way  to  drive  from  Trouville. 

Houlgate,  July  25th. 

*  *     V     Xhis    place    is    quite    charming  —  real 


364  PJi/NCESS  ALICE. 

country,  so  green,  so  picturesque — a  beautiful  coast; 
the  nicest  sea-place  I  have  been  at  yet.  Our  house 
is  "  wee  "  for  so  many,  and  the  first  days  it  was  very 
noisy  ;  and  it  was  so  dirty.  The  maids  and  nurses 
had  to  scrub  and  sweep ;  the  one  French  housemaid 
was  not  up  to  it.  All  is  better  now,  and  quite  com- 
fortable enough.  The  air  is  doing  me  good,  and  the 
complete  change.  I  have  bathed  twice,  and  the  sea 
revives  me. 

I  follow  as  eagerly  as  any  in  England  the  advance 
of  the  Russians,  and  with  cordial  dislike.  They  can 
never  be  redressers  of  wrongs  or  promoters  of  civili- 
zation and  Christianity.  What  I  fear  is,  even  if  they 
don't  take  Constantinople,  and  make  no  large  de- 
mands as  the  price  of  their  victories  now,  the  decla- 
ration of  the  independence  of  Bulgaria  will  make 
that  country  to  them  in  future  what  Roumania  has 
been  for  Russia  now,  and  therefore  in  twenty  years 
hence  they  will  get  all  they  want,  unless  the  other 
Powers  at  this  late  hour  can  bring  about  a  change. 
It  is  bad  for  England,  for  Austria,  for  Germany,  if 
this  Russian  Slav  element  should  preponderate  in 
Europe  ;  and  the  other  countries  must  sooner  or 
later  act  against  this  in  self-preservation. 

What  do  the  friends  of  the  "  Atrocity  Meetings  " 
say  now  ?  How  difficult  it  has  been  made  for  the 
Government  through  them,  and  how  blind  they  have 
been !  All  this  must  be  a  constant  worry  and 
anxiety  for  you  ! 

The  children  are  so  happy  here — the  sea  does 
them  such  good.     I  am  very  glad  I  brought  them. 

HOULGATE,  July  28th, 

*  *  *  Though  w6  have  rain  off  and  on,  still 
the  weather  is  very  pleasant,  and  we  are  all  of  us 
charmed  with  the  place,  and   the  beautiful,  pictu- 


TRIALS.  365 

resque,  fertile  country.  The  life  is  so  pleasant — real 
country — which  I  have  never  yet  found  at  any 
bathing-place  abroad  yet.  I  have  bathed  every 
other  day — swim,  and  it  does  me  good.  I  feel  it  al- 
ready. Ella  is  getting  her  color  back,  and  the  little 
ones  look  much  better. 

I  send  you  the  last  photos  done  of  the  children  ; 
Ella's  is  not  favorable,  nor  Irene's,  but  ail  in  all  they 
are  a  pretty  set.  May  has  not  such  fat  cheeks  in 
reality  ;  still  it  is  very  dear.  The  two  little  girlies 
are  so  sweet,  so  dear,  merry,  and  nice.  I  don't 
know  which  is  dearest,  they  are  both  so  captivating. 

I  have  been  to  an  old  tumble-down  church  at 
Dives — close  by  here — where  William  the  Con- 
queror is  said  to  have  been  before  starting  for 
England.  His  name  and  those  of  all  his  followers 
are  inscribed  there — names  of  so  many  families  now 
existing  in  England.     It  was  very  interesting. 

August  22d. 

*  *  *  How  difficult  it  is  to  know  one's 
children  well ;  to  develop  and  train  the  characters 
according  to  their  different  peculiarities  and  require- 
ments !     *     *     * 

Darmstadt,  September  9th, 

*  *  *  I  must  tell  you  now,  how  very  heartily 
and  enthusiastically  the  whole  population,  high  and 
low,  received  us  yesterday.  It  was  entirely  sponta- 
neous, and,  as  such,  of  course,  so  very  pleasing. 
*  *  *  I  was  really  touched,  for  it  rained,  and  yet 
all  were  so  joyous — flags  out,  bells  ringing,  people 
bombarding  us  with  beautiful  nosegays  ;  all  the 
schools  out,  even  the  higher  ones,  the  girls  all 
dressed  in  white.  The  Kriegerverein,  Louis'  old 
soldiers,  singing,  etc.    In  the  evening  all  the  Gesang- 


366  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

vereine  joined  together  and  sang  under  our  win- 
dows. 

We  are  very  glad  to  be  at  home  again,  and, 
please  God,  with  earnest  will  and  thought  for  others, 
we  together  shall  in  our  different  ways  be  able  to 
live  for  the  good  of  the  people  entrusted  to  our 
care  !  May  God's  blessing  rest  on  our  joint  endeav- 
ors to  do  the  best,  and  may  we  meet  with  kindness 
and  forbearance  where  we  fall  short  of  our  duties. 

Darmstadt,  October  30th. 

*  *  *  I  had  to  receive  sixty-five  ladies — 
amongst  them  my  nurses — and  some  doctors  from 
here  and  other  towns,  all  belonging  to  my  Nursing 
Society,  which  has  now  existed  ten  years.  Then  I 
was  at  the  opening  of  my  Industrial  Girls'  School, 
where  girls  from  all  parts  of  the  country  come,  and 
which  is  a  great  success.  I  started  it  two  years  ago. 
On  Sunday  I  took  the  children  to  hear  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  interested  them  very  much. 

I  have  been  doing  too  much  lately,  though,  and 
my  nerves  are  beginning  to  feel  the  strain,  for  sleep 
and  appetite  are  no  longer  good.  Too  much  is  de- 
manded of  one  ;  and  I  have  to  do  with  so  many 
things.  It  is  more  than  my  strength  can  stand  in 
the  lone  run.     *     *     * 

December  13th. 
For  to-morrow,  as  ever,  my  tenderest  sympathy ! 
Time  shows  but  more  and  more  what  we  all  lost  in 
beloved  Papa  ;  and  the  older  I  grow,  the  more  peo- 
ple I  know,  the  more  the  remembrance  of  him  shines 
bright  as  a  star  of  purer  lustre  than  any  I  have  ever 
known.  May  but  a  small  share  of  his  light  fall  on 
some  of  us,  who  have  remained  so  far  beneath  him, 
so  little  worthy  of  such  a  father!     We  can  but  admire, 


TRIALS.  367 

reverence,  long  to  imitate,  and  yet  not  approach  near 
to  what  he  was. 

We  are  going  with  tlie  children  to-day  to  Wiesba- 
den until  Saturday  ;  and  I  mean  to  tell  Vicky  that 
she  had  better  give  up  the  hope  of  my  being  able  to 
come  for  the  wedding.*  I  could  not  do  it.  I  only 
trust  the  why  will  be  understood.  Do  write  to  the 
dear  Empress  about  it  when  next  you  write.  How 
sorry  I  am  to  be  absent  at  a  moment  when,  as  sister 
and  a  German  Sovereign's  wife,  I  should  be  there  ; 
but  the  doctor  would  not  hear  of  it,  so  I  gave  it 
up.       "       "       * 

Darmstadt,  December  21st. 

*  *  *  You  say  all  that  happened  after  the 
dreadful  14th  is  effaced  from  your  memory.  How 
well  I  can  imagine  that !  I  remember  saying  my 
utmost  to  Sir  Charles  Phipps  in  remonstrance  to 
your  being  wished  to  leave  Windsor — it  was  so  cruel, 
so  very  wrong.  Uncle  Leopold  insisted  ;  it  all  came 
from  him,  and  he  was  alarmed  lest  you  should  fall 
ill. 

Hoaj  you  suffered  was  dreadful  to  witness  ;  never 
shall  I  forget  what  I  went  through  for  you  then  ;  it 
tore  my  heart  in  pieces  ;  and  my  own  grief  was  so 
great  too.  Louis  thought  I  would  not  hold  to  my 
engagement  then  any  more — for  my  heart  was  too 
filled  with  beloved,  adored  Papa,  and  with  your 
anguish,  to  have  room  or  wish  for  other  thoughts. 

God  is  very  merciful  in  letting  time  temper  the 
sharpness  of  one's  grief,  and  letting  sorrow  find  its 
natural  place  in  our  hearts,  without  withdrawing  us 
from  life! 

*  Of    the    Princess  Charlotte    of    Prussia   with  tlie    Hereditary  Prince  of 
Saxe-Meiningen. 


THE  END. 


1878. 

"  Life  is  serious — a  journey  to  another  end."     {December  12,  1874,) 

THE  state  of  the  Grand  Duchess'  health  pre- 
vented her  from  accompanying  the  Grand 
Duke  to  RerHn  on  the  occasion  of  the  marriages  of 
Princess  Charlotte  of  Prussia  (eldest  daughter  of  the 
Crown  Prince  and  Princess  of  Germany)  to  the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Saxe-Meiningen,  and  of 
Princess  Elizabeth  of  Prussia  (sister  to  the  Duchess 
of  Connaught)  to  the  Hereditary  Grand  Duke  of 
Oldenburg.  Although  she  was  unable  to  go  out 
much  into  society,  or  to  take  an  active  part  in  social 
gayeties,  her  interest  and  sympathy  were  unabated, 
particularly  in  all  matters  concerning  art  and  science. 
She  received  many  guests,  and  Prince  William  of 
Prussia  (then  studying  at  Bonn)  often  visited  her. 

The  celebrated  portrait  painter  Heinrich  von 
Angeli  came  to  Darmstadt  in  the  spring  to  paint  a 
family  picture  of  the  Grand  Duke  and  Grand 
Duchess  and  their  children  by  command  of  the 
Queen  of  England.  Princess  Alice  greatly  enjoyed 
his  acquaintance,  and  was  charmed  as  well  by  his 
musical  talent  as  by  his  wonderful  genius  in  painting. 

368 


THE  END.  369 

Angeli's  picture  of  Princess  Alice  was  the  last  ever 
painted  of  her. 

The  repeated  attempts  on  the  life  of  the  old 
Emperor  of  Germany  affected  the  Grand  Duchess 
very  nearly,  as  from  her  childhood  she  had  ever 
been  greatly  attached  to  him. 

The  Grand  Duke  and  Grand  Duchess  with  their 
children  spent  the  summer  months  of  this  year  at 
Eastbourne.  Sea-bathing  and  sea-air  had  again 
been  recommended  as  necessary. 

The  Grand  Duke  had  to  return  to  Darmstadt  soon 
after  their  arrival  at  Eastbourne,  but  toward  the  end 
of  the  stay  there  he  rejoined  them. 

The  whole  family  visted  the  Queen  at  Osborne. 

Although  the  Grand  Duchess  had,  during  all  her 
former  visits  to  England,  shown  her  lively  personal 
interest  in  all  charitable  institutions  in  London, 
visiting  many  herself,  she  seems  on  the  occasion  of 
this,  her  last,  visit  to  her  beloved  native  land,  to 
have  taken  a  more  than  ordinary  interest  in  these 
matters,  and  to  have  also  gone  minutely  into  the 
subject  of  the  exertions  which  were  being  made  to 
relieve  the  pressing  wants  of  the  poor. 

The  Grand  Duchess  had  scarcely  arrived  at  East- 
bourne (an  eye-witness  tells  us),  when  she  at  once 
made  enquiries  as  to  the  condition  of  the  poorer 
parts  of  that  town,  and  determined  to  visit  them 
herself.  She  loved  to  wander  about  that  part  of 
Eastbourne  which  is  inhabited  by  the  fishing  popu- 
lation.    She  often  entered  their  cottages,  visiting  the 


370  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

sick,  and  showing  her  sympathy  to  all.  The  visits 
to  the  Sunday-school  were  a  great  pleasure  to  her. 
The  Princess  often  remarked,  "  How  much  good  such 
instruction  must  do  !" 

She  attended  divine  service  at  a  church  some 
little  way  off,  not  because  the  service  was  particu- 
larly attractive,  but  because  the  church  and  its 
congregation  needed  support  and  help. 

Amongst  those  good  works  which  from  year  to 
year  had  specially  occupied  her  were  the  Refuges 
and  Penitentiaries  for  those  poor  women  and  girls 
who  most  need  our  help.  Much  had  been  done  in 
this  way  in  England,  and  the  Albion  Home  at 
Brighton,  founded  and  managed  solely  by  Mrs. 
Murray  Vicars,  had  proved  of  the  greatest  service 
and  blessing.  The  Grand  Duchess  invited  Mrs. 
Vicars  to  come  and  see  her  at  Eastbourne,  and  tell 
herself  about  her  work,  and  showed  her,  when  she 
came,  the  greatest  sympathy  and  kindness,  entering 
with  the  warmest  interest  into  all  details  of  the 
working  of  the  Home. 

Before  leaving  Eastbourne  the  Grand  Duchess 
went  incognita  to  Brighton,  and  paid  a  private  visit 
to  the  Albion  Home.  "  I  only  come  as  one  woman 
to  visit  another "  were  the  Princess  Alice's  own 
words,  when  Mrs.  Vicars  becfced  her  to  be  allowed 
to  tell  the  poor  Penitents  who  their  visitor  was. 

The  Grand  Duchess  was  greatly  impressed,  after 
her  visit  to  the  Home,  by  Mrs.  Vicars'  wonderful 
power  and  practical  knowledge,  and  by  her  gentle. 


THE  END.  371 

loving  way  toward  those  poor  girls  ;  and  this  in  a 
great  measure  induced  her,  with  the  Grand  Duke's 
consent,  to  become  Patroness  of  the  Albion  Home. 
At  first,  when  asked  by  Mrs.  Vicars  to  become  the 
Patroness,  she  had  refused  to  do  so  ;  but,  having 
reconsidered  the  subject,  she  wrote  to  her  the 
following  letter  from  Darmstadt : 

New  Palace,  Darmstadt. 
Dear  Mrs.  Vicars  : — I  have  returned  from  visiting 
the  Home  so  convinced  of  your  excellent  management 
of  it  in  every  respect,  that,  if  you  still  feel  my  be- 
coming Patroness  of  the  Home  (and  of  the  Ladies' 
Association  connected  with  it)  can  further  the  good 
and  noble  work,  I  am  most  willing  to  comply  with 
your  request.  The  spirit  of  true,  loving,  Christian 
sympathy  in  which  the  work  was  begun  by  you,  and 
with  which  it  is  carried  out ;  the  cheerfulness  you 
impart,  the  motherly  solicitude  you  offer  to  those 
struggling  to  return  to  a  better  life,  cannot  fail  to 
restore  in  a  great  measure  that  feehng  of  self-respect 
so  necessary  to  those  voluntarily  seeking  once  more 
a  virtuous  life,  and  by  so  doing  regaining  the  respect 
of  their  fellow-creatures.  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren, 
ye  have  done  it  unto  Me."  In  this  spirit  may  the 
Home,  as  well  as  the  Association  connected  with  it, 
continue  its  good  work.  My  entire  sympathy  and 
good  wishes  will  ever  be  with  it. 

Ever  yours  truly, 

Alice. 

After  the  Grand  Duchess'  return  to  Darmstadt, 
she  devoted  herself  with  redoubled  energy  to  all  her 
charitable  institutions  ;   but,  alas !  she  felt  more  and 


3/2  FRIA^CESS  ALICE. 

more  that  her  bodily  strength  was  no  longer  equal 
to  her  exertions. 

In  the  autumn  she  had  the  happiness  of  seeing 
several  of  her  family  at  Darmstadt,  the  last  of  them 
being  her  brother,  Prince  Leopold. 

Darmstadt,  January  26th. 

Though  I  have  no  letter,  and  expect  none  at  such 
a  moment,  still  I  must  send  you  a  few  lines  to  tell 
you  how  constantly  I  think  of  you,  and  of  my  own 
beloved  and  adored  country.  The  anxiety  you 
must  be  going  through,  and  the  feelings  you  must 
experience,  I  share  with  my  whole  heart.     "^     *     * 

God  grant  it  may  be  possible  to  do  the  right 
thing,  for  it  is  late,  and  the  complication  is  dreadful ! 

I  have  barely  any  thoughts  for  any  thing  else  ;  and 
the  Opposition  seems  to  me  to  have  been  more 
wrong  in  its  country's  interest,  and  to  have  done  her 
a  greater  harm  than  can  ever  be  redressed.  It  is  a 
serious,  awful  moment  for  Sovereign,  country,  and 
Government ;  and  in  your  position  none  have  to  go 
through  what  you  have — and  after  all  so  alone ! 

I  hope  your  health  bears  up  under  the  anxiety. 

April  9th. 

*  *  *  Angeli  has  arrived,  and  will  begin  at 
once.  We  thought  Ernie  and  Ella — Victoria  is  too 
big,  though  she  is  the  eldest  and  ought  to  be  in  the 
picture  ;  she  would  be  too  preponderant.  Angeli  is 
quite  lost  in  admiration  of  Aliky  and  May,  who  are, 
I  must  say  myself,  such  a  lovely  little  pair  as  one 
does  not  often  see.  He  will  begin  our  heads  to- 
morrow.    *     *     * 

Darmstadt,  November  6th. 

*  *     *     I  am  but- very  middling,  and  leading  a 


THE  END.  373 

very  quiet  life,  which  is  an  absolute  necessity.  It  is 
so  depressing  to  be  like  this.  But  our  home  life  is 
always  pleasant — never  dull,  however  quiet.  Only 
a  feeling  of  weariness  and  incapacity  is  in  itself  a 
trial. 

On  the  8th  of  November  Princess  Victoria  was 
suddenly  attacked  with  diphtheria.  How  and  where 
she  caught  the  illness  remains  unexplained.  The 
Grand  Duchess,  always  so  courageous  in  illness,  and 
fearing  none,  had,  however,  always  had  a  great 
horror  of  diphtheria.  Princess  Victoria  was  at  once 
isolated  from  her  family  and  the  others  in  the  house ; 
but,  alas!  to  no  purpose.  Princess  Alice  superin- 
tended the  nursing,  aided  by  the  nurses  and  the  Lady 
Superintendent  of  her  hospital.  The  terrible  anxiety 
of  the  poor  mother  during  that  illness  is  best 
described  by  her  own  telegrams  and  letters  to  the 
Queen. 

Telegrams. 

November  8th. 
Victoria  has  diphtheria  since  this  morning.     The 
fever  is  high.     I  am  so  anxious. 

November  loth, 
Victoria  is  out  of  danger. 

November  12th. 
This  night  my  precious  Aliky  has  been  taken  ill. 

Darmstadt,  November  12th. 

This  is  dreadful !  my  sweet,  precious  Aliky  so  ill ! 

At  three  this  morning  Orchie  called  me,  saying  she 

thought  the  child  was  feverish  ;    complaining  of  her 

throat.     I  went  over  to  her,  looked  into  her  throat, 


374  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

and  there  were  not  only  spots,  but  a  thick  covering 
on  each  side  of  her  throat  of  that  horrid  white  mem- 
brane. I  got  the  steam  inhaler,  with  chlorate  of 
potash  for  her  at  once,  but  she  was  very  unhappy, 
poor  litde  thing.  We  sent  for  the  doctor,  who  lives 
close  by,  and  who  saw  at  once  that  it  was  a  severe 
case.  We  have  put  her  upstairs  near  Victoria,  who 
is  quite  convalescent,  and  have  fumigated  the  nursery 
to  try  and  spare  May  and  the  others.  It  is  a  terrible 
anxiety  ;  it  is  such  an  acute,  and  often  fatal,  illness. 
*  *  *  Victoria  has  been  graciously  preserved  ; 
may  God  preserve  these  [the  younger  ones]  also  in 
His  mercy  !    My  heart  is  sore  ;  and  I  am  so  anxious. 

Telegram.  November  13th. 

Aliky  tolerable.     Darling  May  very  ill ;  fever  so 

high.  Irene  has  got  it  too.  I  am  miserable  ;  such 
fear  for  the  sweet  little  one  ! 

On  the  14th  of  November  Prince  Ernest  and  the 
Grand  Duke  were  attacked  with  diphtheria,  so  that, 
up  to  that  time,  Princess  Elizabeth  only  had  escaped 
the  infection.  She  was  sent  to  her  Grandmother's, 
Princess  Charles  of  Hesse's  palace. 

Telegram.  November  15  th. 

My  precious  May  no  better ;  suffers  so  much.  I 
am  in  such  horrible  fear.  Irene  and  Ernie  fever  less. 
Ernie's  throat  very  swelled.  Louis  no  worse  ; 
almost  no  spots.     Aliky  recovering. 

Evening. 

Darling  May's  state  unchanged ;  heart-rending. 
Louis'  fever  and  illness  on  the  increase.  The 
others,  as  one  could  expect ;  all  severe  cases.  May's 
most  alarming. 


THE  END.  375 

The  sympathy  with  the  Grand  Duchess  in  her 
great  anxiety  was  universal.  In  many  of  the  church- 
es special  services  were  held,  praying  for  the  recov- 
ery of  that  dearly  beloved  family.  The  well-known 
suffering  state  of  the  Grand  Duchess'  own  health, 
so  sorely  tried  at  this  moment,  caused  the  gravest 
fears  to  be  entertained  on  her  own, account. 

On  the  morning  of  the  i6th  of  November  sweet 
little  Princess  "May" — the  Princess'  sunshine,  as  she 
ever  called  her — was  taken  from  her  doting  parents. 
The  Grand  Duchess  telegraphed  as  follows  to  her 

mother: 

November  i6th. 
*     *     *     Our  sweet  little  one  is  taken.     Broke  it 
to  my  poor  Louis  this  morning  ;  he  is  better  ;  Ernie 
very,  very  ill.     In  great  anguish. 

Telegrajns. 

November  i6th';  evening. 
The    pain  is    beyond  words,  but    **  God's  will  be 
done!  "     Our  precious  Ernie  is  still  a  source  of  such 
terrible  fear.     The  others,  though  not  safe,  better. 

November  17th. 
Ernie  decidedly  better  ;  full  of  gratitude. 

November  iSth. 
My  patients  getting  better  ;  hope  soon  to  have 
them  better.     Last  painful  parting  at  three  o'clock. 

The  coffin  had  to  be  closed  very  soon.  It  was 
entirely  covered  with  flowers.  The  Grand  Duchess 
quietly  entered  the  room  where  it  had  been  placed. 
She  knelt  down   near  it,  pressing  a  corner  of  the 


Z7^  FjRINCESS  ALICE. 

pall  to  her  lips  ;  then  she  rose,  and  the  funeral  ser- 
vice began. 

When  it  was  over,  she  cast  one  long,  loving 
look  at  the  coffin  which  hid  her  darling  from  her. 
She  then  left  the  room  and  slowly  walked  up-stairs. 
At  the  top  of  the  stairs  she  knelt  down ,  and  taking  hold 
of  the  golden  balustrade,  looked  into  the  mirror  op- 
posite to  her  to  watch  the  little  coffin  being  taken 
out  of  the  house.  She  was  marvellously  calm  ;  only 
long-drawn  sighs  escaped  her. 

When  all  had  left  the  palace,  she  went  to  the 
Grand  Duke,  who  was  to  be  kept  in  ignorance  of  all 
that  was  going  on.  The  Grand  Duchess  had  herself 
arranged  every  detail  of  the  funeral. 

Telegram.  November  19th, 

The  continued  suspense  almost  beyond  endurance. 
Ernie  thought  he  was  going  to  die  in  the  night,  and 
was  in  a  dreadful  state  for  some  hours.  Louis  very 
nervous,  too  ;  but  they  are  not  worse.  The  six 
cases  have  been  one  worse  than  the  other. 

Later,  November  19th, 
Ernie  had  a  relapse,  and  our  fears  are  increased. 
I  am  in  an  agony  between  hope  and  fear. 

The  Grand  Duchess  desired  her  warmest  thanks 
to  be  expressed  to  the  country  for  their  heart-felt 
sympathy. 

On  the  2  5th  of  November  the  Grand  Duke  was 
able  for  the  first  time  to  leave  his  bed  for  a  few 
hours,  and  on  the  6th  of  December  he  and  Prince 
Ernest  drove  out  for  the  first  time,  in  a  shut  car- 
riage. 


THE  END.  Z77 

It  was  on  this  day  that  the  Grand  Duchess  wrote 
for  the  last  time  to  'the  Queen. 

November  19th. 

Beloved  Mama  : — Tender  thanks  for  your  dear, 
dear  letter,  soothing  and  comforting  ! 

Our  sweet  May  waits  for  us  up  there, ^and  is  not 
going  through  our  agony,  thank  God  !  Her  bright, 
happy,  sunshiny  existence  has  been  a  bright  spot  in 
our  lives — but  oh!  how  short!  I  don't  touch  on 
the  anguish  that  fills  me,  for  God  in  His  mercy  helps 
me,  and  it  must  be  borne  ;  but  to-day,  again,  the 
fear  and  anxiety  for  Ernie  is  still  greater.  This  is 
quite  agonizing  to  me  ;  how  I  pray  that  he  may  be 
spared  to  me  ! 

His  voice  is  so  thick  ;  new  membranes  have 
appeared.  He  cries  at  times  so  bitterly,  but  he 
is  gayer  just  now. 

To  a  mother's  heart,  who  would  spare  her  children 
every  pain,  to  have  to  witness  what  I  have,  and  am 
still  doing,  knowing  all  these  precious  lives  hanging 
on  a  thread,  is  an  agony  barely  to  be  conceived, 
save  by  those  who  have  gone  through  it. 

■V-  *  *  Your  letter  says  so  truly  all  I  feel.  I 
can  but  say,  in  all  one's  agony  there  is  a  mercy  and 
a  peace  of  God,  which  even  now  He  has  let  me 
feel.     *     ''     ■'■ 

P.S. — I  mean  to  try  and  drive  a  litde  this  after- 
noon. I  shall  go  out  with  Orchie.  Of  my  six  chil- 
dren, since  a  week  none  more  about  me,  and  not 
my  husband.     It  is  like  a  very  awful  dream  to  me. 

November  22d. 
Beloved  Mama  : — Many  thanks  for  your  dear  let- 
ter, and  for  all  the  expressions  of  sympathy  shown 
by  so  many  !     I  am  vcjy  grateful  for  it. 


378  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

Dear  Ernie  having  been  preserved  through  the 
greatest  danger  is  a  source  of  such  gratitude ! 
These  have  been  terrible  days  !  He  sent  a  book  to 
May  this  morning.  It  made  me  almost  sick  to  smile 
at  the  dear  boy.  But  he  must  be  spared  yet  awhile 
what  to  him  will  be  such  a  sorrow. 

For  myself,  darling  Mama,  God  has  given  me 
comfort  and  help  in  all  this  trouble,  and  I  am  sure 
His  Spirit  will  remain  near  us  in  the  trials  to  come! 
Great  sympathy,  such  as  all  show,  is  a  balm  ;  but  I 
am  very  tired,  and  the  pain  is  often  very  great ;  but 
pain  can  be  turned  into  a  blessing,  and  I  pray  this 
may  be  so.     *     *     * 

When  alone,  I  rest ;  and  writing  even  is  a  physical 
exertion.  Those  around  me  have  spared  me  all  they 
could,  but  one  must  bear  the  greaterweight  one's  self. 

May  God  spare  you  all  future  sorrow,  and  give 
you  the  peace  which  He  alone  can  give ! 

P.S. — I  finish  these  lines  at  my  dear  Louis'  bed. 
He  thanks  you  so  much  for  your  dear,  loving  sympa- 
thy. Thank  God,  he  is  doing  well.  But  the  pain  they 
have  all  gone  through  in  their  poor  throats  has  been 
awfzd.  The  doctors  and  nurses — eight!  for  they 
have  changed  day  and  night,  and  had  such  constant 
attendance — have  been  all  I  could  wish. 
Your  loving  child, 

Alice. 

Darmstadt,  December  ist. 
*  *  *  Every  one  shows  great  sympathy,  I 
hear,  everywhere.  *  *  *  ^jj  classes  have 
shown  a  great  attachment  to  us  personally,  and  to 
the  House,  and  amongst  the  common  people — it 
goes  home  to  them  that  our  position  does  not  sepa- 
rate us  so  very  far  from  them,  and  that  in  death, 


THE  END.  379 

danger,   and   sorrow  the   palace   and   the   hut   are 
visited  aHke. 

So  many  deep  and  solemn  lessons  one  learns  in 
these  times,  and  I  believe  all  works  together  for 
eood  for  those  who  believe  in  God.     *     *     * 

o 

December  2d. 
So  many  pangs  and  pains  come,  and  must  yet  for 
years  to  come.  Still  gratitude  for  those  left  is  so 
strong,  and  indeed  resignation  entire  and  complete 
to  a  higher  will  ;  and  so  we  all  feel  together,  and 
encourage  each  other.  Life  is  not  endless  in  this 
world,  God  be  praised !  There  is  much  joy — but 
oh  !  so  much  trial  and  pain  ;  and,  as  the  number  of 
those  one  loves  increases  in  Heaven,  it  makes  our 
passage  easier — and  home  is  there  ! 

Ever  your  loving  child, 

Alice. 

December  6th. 

Louis  and  Ernie  will  go  out  in  a  shut  carriage  to- 
day, though  it  rains — but  it  is  warm.  Louis'  strength 
returns  so  slowly.  Of  course  he  shuns  the  return  to 
life,  where  our  loss  will  be  more  realized  ;  to  him, 
shut  off  so  long,  it  is  more  like  a  dream.  I  am  so 
thankful  they  were  all  spared  the  dreadful  realities  I 
went  through — and  alone.  My  cup  seemed  very 
full,  and  yet  I  have  been  enabled  to  bear  it.  But 
daily  I  must  struggle  and  pray  for  resignation  ;  it  is 
a  cruel  pain  and  one  that  will  last  years,  as  I  know 
but  too  well. 

Ever  your  lovin^f  child, 

A. 

Amongst  the  last  letters  from  the  Grand  Duchess 
is  one  written  on  the  6th  of  December,  instructing 
Prince  Ernest's  new  tutor  in  his  duties.     Princess 


380  FJilNCESS  ALICE. 

Alice  wished  her  son  to  become  a  truly  good  man  in 
every  sense  of  the  word — upright,  truthful,  coura- 
geous, unselfish,  ready  to  help  others,  modest  and 
retirino-.  She  wished  his  tutor  to  encourage  in  him 
fear  of  God  and  submission  to  His  will,  a  high  sense 
of  duty,  a  feeling  of  honor  and  of  truth. 

It  had  been  settled  that  as  soon  as  the  convales- 
cent patients  were  able  to  be  moved,  the  whole 
Grand  Ducal  family  should  go  to  Heidelberg  for 
thorough  change  of  air. 

On  the  7th  of  December  the  Grand  Duchess  went 
to  the  railway  station  to  see  the  Duchess  of  Edin- 
burgh, who  was  passing  through  Darmstadt  on  her 
way  to  England.  That  night  she  first  complained  of 
feeling  ill  ;  and  on  the  following  morning  the  unmis- 
takable symptoms  of  diphtheria  had  begun  to  show 
themselves.  It  is  supposed  that  she  must  have 
taken  the  infection,  when  one  day,  in  her  grief  and 
despair,  she  had  laid  her  head  on  her  sick  husband's 
pillow.  During  the  first  day  of  her  illness  she  set- 
tled several  things,  and  gave  various  orders  in  case 
of  her  death.  Still  it  was  evident  that  she  thought 
she  would  recover. 

She  bore  her  great  sufferings  with  wonderful  pa- 
tience, and  was  most  obedient  to  every  thing  the 
doctors  ordered  her  to  do,  however  painful  and  try- 
ing. Those  were  terrible  days  !  How  much  so  to 
her  is  apparent  from  short  sentences  which  from 
time  to  time  she  wrote  down  on  slips  of  paper. 
Every  thing  was  done  to  alleviate  her  sufferings — 


THE  END.  381 

every  thing  to  encourage  her.  The  high  fever  which 
set  in  at  the  commencement  of  the  illness  did  not 
decrease  on  the  third  day  as  in  the  previous  cases, 
though  her  sufferings  were  perhaps  not  so  great. 
At  times  she  was  very  restless  and  distressed.  In 
the  night  of  the  12th  of  December  she  gave  many 
directions  to  her  mother-in-law,  and  to  her  lady-in- 
waiting.  At  times,  too,  she  spoke  in  the  most 
touching  manner  about  her  household,  also  enquir- 
ing kindly  after  poor  and  sick  people  in  the  town. 
Then  followed  hours  of  great  prostration. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  December  the  doc- 
tors could  no  lonofer  disguise  from  the  Grand  Duke 
that  their  efforts  to  save  that  beloved  life  were  in 
vain.  As  the  danger  increased,  the  Grand  Duchess 
expressed  herself  as  feeling  better.  She  received  her 
mother-in-law  that  afternoon  in  the  most  affection- 
ate manner  ;  also  saw  her  lady-in-waiting  ;  and  when 
the  Grand  Duke  entered  her  room  her  joy  was  most 
evident.  She  even  read  two  letters — the  last  one 
being  from  her  mother.  After  some  hours  of  heavy 
sleep  she  woke  perfectly  conscious  and  took  some 
nourishment.  She  then  composed  herself  to  rest, 
saying  :  "  Now  I  will  go  to  sleep  again."  And  out 
of  this  sleep  she  woke  no  more. 

Shortly  after  i  a.m.  on  the  14th  of  December  a 
change  took  place  which  left  no  doubt  to  those 
around  that  that  precious  life  was  fast  ebbing  away. 
When,  a  little  later  on.  Princess  Charles  went  into 
the  Grand  Duke's  room,  who  was  then  asleep,  she 


382  FJilNCESS  ALICE. 

had  left  the  Grand  Duchess  perfectly  unconscious. 
It  required  no  words  of  his  mother's  to  break  the 
news  to  him. 

At  half-past  eight  that  morning  Princess  Alice 
died  peacefully,  murmuring  to  herself,  like  a  child 
going  to  sleep  :  "  From  Friday  to  Saturday — four 
weeks — May — dear  Papa !  " 

It  was  exactly  to  the  day  four  weeks  since  Princess 
May's  death,  and  seventeen  years  since  the  death  of 
the  Prince  Consort.  On  the  following  Tuesday  even- 
ing, the  1 7th  of  December,  after  a  solemn  service  held 
by  the  English  chaplain,  the  remains  of  the  beloved 
Princess  were  quietly  removed  from  her  own  palace 
to  the  chapel  in  the  Grand  Ducal  Castle.  The  next 
day,  amidst  the  universal  grief  of  high  and  low,  the 
coffin  was  placed  in  the  Mausoleum  at  the  Rosen- 
hohe.  Her  brothers,  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  Prince 
Leopold,  were  present. 

A  beautiful  recumbent  monument  by  Boehm,  rep- 
resenting the  Princess  holding  Princess  May  in  her 
arms,  is  now  placed  in  the  Mausoleum  over  the  spot 
where  she  rests. 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 


WE  must  leave  it  to  those  who  have  read  the 
preceding"  pages — mere  chronicle  of  facts 
as  they  are,  to  form  their  own  idea  of  the  character 
and  personality  of  the  Princess. 

Still,  the  disjointed  manner  in  which  the  whole 
subject  has  been  treated  seems  to  call  for  a  few  more 
additional  remarks. 

The  world  has  long  been  acquainted  with  the  out- 
ward appearance  of  the  Princess — with  the  delicacy 
of  her  features,  the  sweetness  of  their  expression, 
and  the  dignity  and  gracefulness  of  her  every  move- 
ment. Though  so  perfectly  natural  and  simple  in 
manner,  she  never  forgot  that  she  was  a  Princess. 
While  she  knew  how  to  encouraire  and  draw  out 
those  who,  from  timidity,  kept  themselves  in  the 
background,  she  also  understood  how,  in  a  moment, 
to  check  any  thing  like  forwardness,  and,  where 
necessary,  to  silence  presumption  by  a  glance. 

Her  conversation  was  bright  and  animated,  pass- 
ing rapidly  from  topic  to  topic,  but  always  directed 
to  subjects  worth  talking  about.  There  was  a  cer- 
tain distinction  in  the  way  she  dealt  even  with  minor 

383 


384  PJilNCESS  ALICE. 

matters  of  daily  life.  She  spoke  German  with  a 
slightly  foreign  accent,  but  with  a  power  of  idiomatic 
expression  that  seldom  failed  her,  and  showed  how 
thoroughly  she  had  mastered  the  genius  of  the  lan- 
guage. 

Occupation  was  a  necessity  to  her  ;  she  could  not 
understand  how  any  one  could  be  idle.  When  at 
home,  she  always  had  some  needlework  at  hand 
ready  to  take  up. 

The  Princess  was  singularly  free  from  all  preju- 
dice, and  always  endeavored  to  judge  people  accord- 
inof  to  their  worth. 

It  sometimes  happened  that  she  offended  people 
by  her  independent  views,  but  she  never  knowingly 
hurt  anybody's  feelings  ;  innate  generosity  was  a 
striking  trait  in  her  character. 

Frank  and  sincere  herself  to  an  unusual  degree, 
she  always  encouraged  others  to  be  the  same,  and 
was  most  tolerant  of  well-grounded  contradiction. 

In  times  of  trouble  and  danger,  when  so  much  was 
expected  of  her,  her  powers  seemed  to  expand.  It 
was  in  such  moments  that  she  really  showed  the 
master-spirit,  which  remains  calm  and  self-possessed 
when  all  around  lose  their  heads. 

The   Princess  took   the   deepest    interest    in    the 
personal  welfare  of  all  around  her,  even  to  the  hum- 
blest of  her  servants.     This  interest  was  shown  by ; 
many  small  services,  seldom  rendered  to  their  ser- 
vants by  masters  or  mistresses. 

With  all  her  appreciation  of  the  purely  theoreticall 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS.  385 

and  scientific  aspect  of  things,  she  was  naturally  of  a 
very  practical  turn  of  mind.  She  had  few  equals  in 
her  love  and  talent  for  orgranizinof,  for  communicatinsf 
her  own  ideas  to  those  around  her,  and  in  turn  being 
animated  by  the  views  of  others.  Thus  it  was  that 
she  expected  not  a  little  from  those  about  her,  and 
might  almost  have  given  the  impression  of  a  very 
restless  nature,  had  not  this  activity  been  counter- 
balanced by  an  unceasing  perseverance  in  carrying 
out  and  adhering  to  what  she  had  once  undertaken. 

To  become  acquainted  with  great  men  of  every 
profession,  whether  scholars,  artists,  or  men  of 
science,  was  a  real  pleasure  to  her.  She  loved  to 
gain  an  insight  into  their  thoughts  and  views,  and 
proved  herself  a  very  German  in  her  admiration  and 
appreciation  of  serious  scientific  work. 

Among  the  arts,  music  and  painting  were  those 
she  loved  the  best,  and  cultivated  the  most.  In  both 
she  was  far  ahead  of  even  distinguished  amateurs. 
Her  drawing  was  free,  firm,  and  bold  ;  she  had  a 
decided  talent  for  composition,  and  was  rich  in 
inventive  power.  She  had  a  wonderful  eye  for 
color,  and  was  especially  successful  in  water-colors. 

She  was  an  excellent  musician,  and  played  ex- 
tremely well.  Few  could  read  and  understand  diffi- 
cult pieces  at  sight  as  the  Princess  did.  In  music, 
as  in  all  the  arts,  her  taste  was  rather  severe.  She 
had  a  great  predilection  for  the  classical  school. 
Bach,  Beetlioven,and  Schumann,  Schubert,  Mendels- 
sohn, and  Brahams  were  her  especial  favorites. 


386  FRIiVCESS  ALICE. 

In  theatrical  performances  she  disHked  empty 
show  and  splendor — the  mere  decoration  of  pieces 
for  the  love  of  decoration.  She  believed  in  the 
ennobling  influence  of  the  representation  of  sound 
classical  works. 

Her  whole  being  mentally  and  morally  was  con- 
centrated in  her  children  and  their  education,  and  in 
this  she  showed  herself  to  be  a  thorough  woman. 
She  endeavored  to  make  them  feel  the  worth  and 
greatness  of  both  the  nations  to  which  they  belonged 
by  birth.  She  was  apt  to  be  more  severe  in  her 
criticisms  of  the  German  mode  of  education  and  of 
moral  training  than  of  that  of  her  own  country. 
That  this  should  have  been  so  is  easily  to  be  ex- 
plained. In  Germany  her  life  and  work  were  not 
easy,  and  she  knew  that  it  would  take  time  before 
her  endeavors  for  the  welfare  of  her  adopted  country 
met  with  recognition,  whilst  in  England,  the  country 
of  her  birth  and  her  affection,  to  which  she  clung 
with  ever-increasing  reverence  and  devotion,  she 
knew  she  was  ever  becomingf  more  beloved. 

Still,  being  so  thoroughly  English  as  she  was,  we 
cannot  but  say  that  much  that  was  best  and  finest  in 
her  character  must  be  considered  as  the  inheritance 
of  her  German  father.  A  nature  such  as  the 
Princess'  could  not  help  coming  in  contact  with 
many  deep  aud  serious  questions,  in  which  religion 
alone  could  help  her. 

The  traces  of  perfect  trust  in  God,  and  entire  sub- 
mission  to  His  will,  will  be  found  throughout  her 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS.  38/ 

letters.  We  know  that  at  one  time  she  wavered  in 
her  convictions..  Although  she  never  doubted  the 
value  of  practical  religion,  although  she  ever  turned 
to  her  Bible  for  help  and  comfort  in  hours  of  distress 
and  anxiety,  she  had  to  wrestle  heart  and  soul  with 
theoretical  doubts.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  struggle 
of  many  years'  duration,  at  the  commencement  and 
end  of  which  personal  influences  played  a  great  part. 
We  are  indebted  to  an  intimate  friend  and  relation 
of  Princess  Alice's  for  the  following  communication, 
which  is  in  accord  with  the  observations  of  others 
who  knew  her : 

"After  her  son's  death  I  thought  I  observed  a 
change  in  her  feelings.  Before  that  time  she  had 
often  expressed  openly  her  doubts  as  to  the  existence 
of  God — had  allowed  herself  to  be  led  away  by  the 
free-thinking  philosophical  views  of  others.  After 
Prince  Fritz  died  she  never  spoke  in  such  a  way 
again.  She  remained  silent  while  a  transformation 
was  quietly  going  on  within,  of  which  I  afterwards 
was  made  aware,  under  the  influence  of  some  hidden 
power.  It  seemed  as  if  she  did  not  then  like  to  own 
the  change  that  had  come  over  her. 

"  Some  time  afterwards  she  told  me  herself,  in  the 
most  simple  and  touching  manner,  how  this  change 
had  come  about.  I  could  not  listen  to  her  story 
without  tears.  The  Princess  told  me  she  owed  it  all 
to  her  child's  death,  and  to  the  influence  of  a  Scotch 
gentleman,  a  friend  of  the  Grand  Duke's  and  the 
Grand  Duchess',  who  was  residing  with  his  family 
at  Darmstadt. 

"  '  I  owe  all  to  this  kind  friend,'  she  said,  '  who 
exercised  such  a  beneficial  influence  on  my  religious 


388  PHINCESS  ALICE. 

views  ;  yet  people  say  so  much  that  is  cruel  and  un- 
just of  him,  and  of  my  acquaintance  with  him.'  At 
another  time  she  said  :  '  The  whole  edifice  of  phil- 
osophical conclusions  which  I  had  built  up  for  my- 
self, I  find  to  have  no  foundation  whatever ;  noth- 
ing of  it  is  left;  it  has  crumbled  away  like  dust. 
What  should  we  be,  what  would  become  of  us,  if  we 
had  no  faith,  if  we  did  not  believe  that  there  is  a  God 
who  rules  the  world  and  each  single  one  of  us  ?  I 
feel  the  necessity  of  prayer  ;  I  loved  to  sing  hymns 
with  my  children,  and  we  have  each  our  favorite 
hymn.'  * 

"  I  remember  observing  that  her  table  in  her  room 
was  covered  with  religious  books  of  all  languages. 
Some  of  them  she  recommended  to  me." 

The  German  Protestant  form  of  worship  did  not 
satisfy  her.  Her  own  English  liturgy,  with  its  fine 
simple  prayers  and  benedictions,  with  its  many  ap- 
pointed lessons  from  Holy  Writ — the  old  Testament 
especially, — with  its  sermons  confined  to  a  limited 
time,  pleased  her  more.  At  the  same  time  she 
always  acknowledged  with  gratitude  and  admiration 
that  the  great  spiritual  hero  who  was  the  first  to  de- 
mand as  a  right  absolute  sincerity  in  the  life  of  faith, 
and  so  brought  on  the  Reformation,  was  a  German. 

The  Princess  had  a  very  wide  knowledge  of  history, 
Her  political  opinions  were  independent,  entirely 
free  from  party  prejudice,  and  based  on  the  principle 
she  had  imbibed  from  her  father — that  Princes  exist 
for  the  welfare  of  their  people. 

*  This  memorandum  does  not  go  far  enough.     The  Princess  returned  to 
the  faith  in  which  she  was  reared,  and  died  in  it,  a  devout  Christian. 


CONCL  UDING  REMARKS. 


389 


Future  generations  must  ever  acknowledge  how 
the  Princess  Alice  throughout  her  life  strove  to  ful- 
fil the  saying  of  her  favorite  hero  in  history,  "  the 
great  Fritz"  (Frederic  the  Great,  in  his  "  Anaima- 
chiavell"):  "  The  rulers  of  nations  must  set  the  ex- 
ample of  virtue  to  the  world." 


^■^9^ 


APPENDIX. 


THE  beautiful  sketch  which  follows  appeared  in 
the  Darmstddter  Zeiiung,  dated  "  Christmas 
Eve,  1878  "  ;  and  the  annexed  translation  of  it,  by 
Sir  Theodore  Martin,  appeared  a  few  days  afterward 
in  the  Times. 

A    WATCHER    BY    THE    DEAD. 

Long,  long-  before  daybreak  on  one  of  those 
gloomy  December  days  of  last  week,  an  officer  made 
his  way  hurriedly  along  the  empty,  silent  streets  of 
the  capital.  He  was  in  full  uniform,  but  its  pomp 
and  splendor  were  shrouded  in  a  thick  covering 
of  crape,  for  he  was  afoot  thus  early  to  do  duty  by  the 
bier  of  the  beloved  Princess.  Desolate  were  the 
streets,  as  of  a  city  of  the  dead  ;  desolate  as  though 
tenanted  only  by  the  dead  was  the  lordly  palace 
to  which  he  bent  his  steps.  The  sentinels  at  the 
great  gate  stood  motionk:ss,  despite  the  severe  cold, 
as  if  they  feared  to  disturb  the  repose  of  death. 
Here,  where  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital  used  to 
see  all  astir  with  the  busy,  cheerful  life  inseparable 
froni  the  njsidence  of  a  reignini^  Prince;  here,  where 
in  days  but  recently  gone  by  children,  blooming  and 
beautiful,  the  country's  pride  and  the  y^y  of  their 
princely  parents, gave  animation  to  house  and  garden, 

39' 


392  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

all  was  silent  and  void  ;  a  deadly  blast  had  swept  over 
the  till  now  so  happy  home.  The  country's  young, 
idolized  mother  had  closed  her  beautiful  eyes,  closed 
them  for  evermore,  after  doing  and  enduring  nobly, 
after  tasting  the  bitterness  of  great  earthly  sorrow. 
Many  long  and  woful  clays,  many  nights  of  even 
greater  anguish,  had  she  watched,  trembled,  and 
prayed  by  the  couch  of  a  husband  sick  unto  death, 
and  of  five  children  beloved  past  telling.  The  sweet, 
youngest  bud  in  the  fair  wreath  of  princely  children, 
had  been  torn  from  her  bleeding  heart,  and  tears — 
scalding  tears — for  the  sweet  little  May-blossom, 
which  she  had  herself  put  to  its  last  sleep  under 
chaplets  of  flowers,  flowed  fast,  as  she  folded  her 
hands  in  gratitude,  when  the  peril  of  death  had 
passed  over  the  heads  of  her  husband  and  her  other 
children.  "  Thus  do  we  learn  humility !"  she  said, 
with  quivering  lip,  to  a  lady  who  stood  beside  her. 
"  God  has  called  for  one  life,  and  has  given  me  back 
five  for  it  ;  how,  then,  should  I  mourn  ?  "  And  now, 
when,  with  fear  and  trembling,  joy  seemed  about  to 
enter  once  more  into  that  heavily-stricken  home, 
again  the  dark  pinions  of  the  Angel  of  Death  were 
heard  upon  the  air,  and  he  bore  away  the  truest 
of  wives,  the  most  loving  of  mothers,  a  sacrifice  to 
duty  fulfilled  with  the  noblest  forgetfulness  of  self. 
These  were  the  thoughts  with  which  the  solitary 
wayfarer  went  upon  his  sorrowful  way,  and  crossed 
the  threshold  of  the  chamber  of  death.  With  light 
step  and  whispered  words  the  watchers  by  the  dead 
whom  he  relieved  withdrew. 

Overwhelmed  by  the  majesty  of  death,  which  met 
him  here  in  its  most  sombre  form,  the  new  comer 
bent  his  head  and  continued  long  in  silent  prayer. 
The  Princess  lay  on  a  bier  in  the  great  hall  on  the 


APPENDIX.  393 

ground-floor,  where  she  had  so  often  sat  surrounded 
by  a  radiant  -circle  of  guests.  What  of  her  was 
earthly,  cased  in  a  triple  cerement,  was  covered  with 
a  pall  of  black  velvet,  which,  however,  was  almost  hid 
from  view  beneath  a  mass  of  flowers  and  palms. 
Upon  the  head  of  the  coffin  stood  a  little,  simple 
crucifix  of  perfect  artistic  workmanship.  Six  torches 
on  pedestals,  hung  with  black,  stood  round  the  bier, 
shedding  but  a  feeble  glimmer  through  the  hall, 
scarcely  brighter,  indeed,  than  the  scanty  light  of  the 
dawning  winter  day.  From  the  wall  opposite  the 
coffin  the  youthful  image  of  her  husband,  painted  in 
happier  times,  looked  sadly  down  upon  the  loved 
one  lost.  Directly  opposite  hung  the  picture  which 
the  Hessian  Division  had  had  painted  for  their  much- 
loved  leader,  in  remembrance  of  the  glorious  day  of 
Gravelotte — a  picture  of  battle  and  of  the  wild  melee 
of  slaughter  in  the  silent  chamber  of  death.  He 
who  now  watched  by  the  coffin  had  played  a  part  in 
the  conflict  of  the  memorable  day  which  the  picture 
was  meant  to  perpetuate,  and  he  knew  how  deeply 
it  was  interwoven  with  the  life  of  the  Princess 
who  lay  there  in  her  long  last  sleep.  Her  dear 
husband  had  gone  to  the  campaign  with  his  faithful 
Hessians  ;  she  knew  his  precious  life  to  be  in  hourly 
danger ;  but  her  own  sorrows  and  cares  were 
not  her  first  thought.  Helpful,  comforting,  encourag- 
ing, she  gave  at  all  times  to  those  who  were  left  be- 
hind a  brilliant  example  of  cheerful  and  devoted 
courage  ;  and  when  the  wounded  and  sick  came 
back  irom  the  battlefields  in  ever-increasing  num- 
bers, she  it  was  who  everywhere  took  the  lead  with 
noblest  self-abnegation  and  practical  good  sense. 
By  the  beds  of  the  sick  and  dying  she  stood  like 
a  comfortinof  ancrel,   and   the   love  of  the   Hessian 


394  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

people  twined  the  fairest  of  all  diadems,  the  aureole 
of  the  heroine,  round  her  princely  brows. 

This  grateful  love,  not  only  of  those  who  bore 
arms,  but  of  the  citizen  and  artisan  as  well,  for  which 
these  things  laid  the  foundation,  was  now  sincerely 
and  unconstrainedly  busy  beside  the  bier  of  the 
princely  sleeper.  Servants  came,  with  loads  of 
wreaths  and  bouquets,  and  arranged  them  upon  the 
coffin.  But  it  was  not  the  official  tributes  of  flowers 
from  Court  and  noble,  from  the  deputations  of  regi- 
ments far  and  near,  which  were  laid  as  a  mournful 
homage  at  the  feet  of  the  dead  mistress,  that  touched 
most  deeply  the  heart  of  him  who  stood  there  on 
guard.  No,  the  tear  that  stole  down  unbidden,  the 
little  trivial  gift  of  the  poor  and  humble  who  lived 
far  away  from  Court  favor,  had  a  greater  value  in  his 
eyes.  It  was  still  quite  early  morning  when,  with 
the  first  glimmer  of  day,  came  an  old  peasant  woman 
from  the  Odenwald.  Advancing  timidly,  she  laid, 
with  a  murmured  prayer,  a  little  wreath  of  rosemary, 
with  a  couple  of  small  white  flowers,  perhaps  the 
only  ornament  of  her  poor  little  room  at  home,  as  a 
token  of  grateful  affection  down  upon  the  velvet  pall. 
Then,  thinking  herself  unnoticed,  she  took  a  rosebud 
from  one  of  the  splendid  wreaths,  and  hid  it  under 
the  old  woollen  dress.  Who  could  interfere  to  balk 
the  impulse  of  genuine  affection,  that  longed  to  carry 
off  some  slight  memorial  with  it  ?  And  now  the 
little  flower  is  lying  between  the  leaves  of  the  old 
Bible,  and  in  days  to  come  the  matron,  when  she 
turns  the  leaves  of  the  sacred  volume,  will  tell  her 
daughters  and  granddaughters  of  the  noble  lady,  too 
early  snatched  away  from  her  people — of  her,  who 
never  forgot  the  poorest  and  the  humblest  of  them  all. 

Anon  appeared  the  bearer  of  one  of  the  proudest 


APPENDIX.  395 

names  in  Hesse,  who  was  attached  to  the  personal 
service  of  the  Princess.  The  official,  stalwart  bear- 
ing- of  the  courier  was  left  outside,  and,  weeping  hot, 
unhidden  tears,  he  lingered  long  by  the  bier.  To 
what  a  lofty  soul,  to  what  goodness  of  heart,  was  he 
saying  here  a  bitter  farewell !  He  was  followed  by 
two  little  girls,  poorly  but  cleanly  dressed,  and  they, 
too,  brought  their  tribute  of  gratitude — two  little 
bunches  of  violets.  Shyly,  almost  frightened,  and 
yet  with  childish  curiosity,  they  drew  slowly  nearer. 
They  thought  of  another  winter  day,  some  years  ago. 
Hungry,  chilled  to  the  heart,  they  were  sitting  in  an 
empty  attic  ;  their  parents  were  dead,  and  they  ate 
among  strangers  bread  that  Vv'as  hard  and  grudgingly 
given,  when  that  great  lady  appeared  who  was  now 
sleeping  here  under  the  flowers.  From  her,  whose 
heart  was  ever  yearning  to  the  orphan's  cry,  they 
heard  again,  for  the  first  time,  gentle,  loving  words  ; 
by  her  provision  was  quickly  made  for  their  more 
kindly  treatment,  and  gratitude  was  rooted  firmly 
and  forever  in  their  young  souls. 

A  deputation  from  the  Court  Theatre  laid  upon 
the  coffin  a  wreath  intertwined  with  pale  pink 
streamers.  Art,  too,  had  come  to  mourn  for  her 
noblest  patroness,  who  had  been  ever  ready  with  her 
fine,  cultivated  intelligence  to  advance  whatever  was 
great  and  good.  A  servant  brought  a  beautiful 
cross,  of  dark  foliage  with  white  flowers.  It  was  the 
gift  of  the  Grand  Duke's  mother,  anxious  to  testify 
by  an  outward  sign  her  love  for  her  dead  daughter. 
In  ever-growing  numbers  came  the  mourners,  all 
visiijly  oppressed  by  the  weight  of  the  calamity  which 
had  fallen  upon  the  country.  Countless  were  the 
gifts  of  love,  of  gratitude,  of  respect,  which,  now 
beautiful  and  costly,  now  slight  and  simple,  arched 


30  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

ever  higher  and  higher  the  hill  of  flowers  above  the 
coffin.  The  ladies  of  the  neighboring  towns  sent 
cushions  of  dark  violets,  with  chaplets  of  white 
flowers.  Two  ladies  deeply  veiled  brought  branches 
of  palm,  from  the  dark  green  of  which  gleamed  a 
white  scroll — a  poetic  farewell  word  of  deep  feeling  : 

A  hurricane,  charged  with  destruction, 
O  palm,  swept  o'er  thee.     The  squall 

Crashed  through  thy  leaves,  and  tore  from  thee 
The  tenderest,  sweetest  of  all. 

The  clouds  clear'd  away  in  the  distance, 

The  tempest  seem'd  over  and  past, 
When  fortli  from  the  firmament  darted 

A  lightning-bolt,  fiery  and  fast. 

It  struck  thee,  O  noble  one,  struck  thee  ! 

It  crush'd  thee,  and  now  thou  art  gone  ! 
Farewell  !     To  our  death-day  thine  image 

Still,  still  in  our  hearts  shall  live  on. 

There  was  a  second  poem,  enclosed  in  a  heart- 
shaped  framework  of  leaves,  which  gave  expression 
to  the  grief  of  a  devoted  soul  for  the  high-hearted 
lady. 

But  now  the  hour  was  come  for  another  to  take 
the  post  of  honor  by  the  bier  of  the  Princess.  Silently 
and  sadly  the  two  men  saluted.  He  that  left  took 
away  with  him  a  deep  and  elevating  impression  of 
the  general  love  and  respect  paid  by  the  people  of 
Hesse  to  their  too-early  departed  Princess,  and  the 
remembrance  of  that  silent  watch  by  the  dead  will 
remain  in  his  memory  forever.  And  he  who  nov/ 
entered  on  that  honorable  duty  could  chronicle  proofs 
of  genuine  grief,  of  true  reverence  and  love,  not 
fewer  nor  less  touching.  Whosoever  is  thus  bewept 
has  secured  the  best  and  fairest  memorial  in  the 


APPENDIX.  397 

hearts  of  her  own  people  for  all  time — "The  remem- 
brance of  the  just  abideth  in  blessing." 

Nothing  could  show  better  than  this  touching  nar- 
rative, how  deep  and  how  widespread  was  the  grief 
for  the  death  of  the  Princess  throughout  the  country 
which  had  so  recently  hailed  her  as  its  Sovereign. 
Not  less  deep  and  universal  was  the  sorrow  with 
which  the  sad  intelligence  was  received  in  her  native 
land.  She  had  long  been  dear  to  all  hearts  there  ; 
for  the  fame  of  her  many  admirable  qualities  as 
daughter,  sister,  wife,  and  mother  had  penetrated  in- 
to every  houshold.  The  news  that  her  life  was  in 
peril  had  awakened  the  deepest  sympathy ;  and 
when  the  anniversary  of  the  death  of  the  father  she 
loved  so  well  brought  the  tidings  of  her  own  death, 
there  were  few  homes  on  which  it  did  not  cast  a 
shadow  as  for  the  loss  of  one  that  was  personally 
dear.  The  journals  teemed  with  expressions  of  the 
national  grief,  each  vying  with  the  other  in  paying 
affectionate  tribute  to  the  worth  of  one  whose  name 
had  long  been  familiar  and  cherished  on  the  lips  of 
her  countrymen  and  countrywomen,  and  in  assur- 
ances of  sympathy  to  the  Queen,  and  the  loving  hearts 
of  her  kindred,  on  whom  this  great  calamity  had  fal- 
len. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  insert  here,  as  an 
example  of  these,  what  was  written  out  of  a  full 
heart  on  the  day  of  the  Princess'  death  by  the  hand 
which  had  not  yet  concluded  the  task  of  tracing  the 
"Life  of  the  Prince  Consort,"  in  which  the  Princess 


398  PR  I  ACCESS  ALICE. 

had  all  along  taken  the  keenest  interest.  The  letters 
printed  in  this  volume  afford  the  amplest  proof  of  the 
justice  of  the  estimate  which  the  writer  had  formed 
of  the  gifted  and  devoted  woman  whose  heart  is 
there  laid  bare  for  our  study  and  instruction. 

"  Oh,  sir,  the  good  die  first, 
And  those  whose  hearts  are  dry  as  summer  dust 
Burn  to  the  socket." — Wordsworth. 

December  14th,  1878. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  seventeen  years  ago,  a 
great  sorrow  fell  upon  England  in  the  death  of  the 
Prince  Consort,  who,  if  he  did  not  die  too  soon  for 
his  own  happiness  and  fame,  died  at  least,  as  all  now 
feel,  too  soon  for  England.  The  memorable  14th  of 
December  has  again  come  round,  and  again  a  great 
sorrow  has  fallen  upon  the  country.  The  Princess 
has  been  taken  to  her  rest,  who  watched  and  soothed 
the  Prince  Consort  in  the  last  days  of  his  fatal  illness, 
and  who  by  her  fortitude  and  noble  devotion  helped 
materially,  though  then  but  a  girl  of  seventeen,  to 
sustain  and  comfort  the  widowed  Queen  in  her 
measureless  affliction.  For  the  first  time  a  breach — 
and  such  a  breach — has  been  made  in  that  family  cir- 
cle to  which  all  who  had  the  priviledge  to  know  it 
looked  as  the  happiest  in  England — happiest,  because 
mutual  love  and  esteem  bound  all  its  members  to- 
gether by  ties  knit  in  childhood  and  never  broken, 
and  because  of  the  noble  activity  for  good  which  had 
been  set  before  them  in  the  example  of  their  parents 
kept  their  hearts  fresh  and  their  minds  ever  open. 
She  who,  while  yet  a  girl,  was  called  to  play  a 
woman's  part  by  her  father's  deathbed,  has  been  the 
first  to  follow  him  into  the  Silent  Land. 

No  life  could  have  opened  more  auspiciously  than 


APPENDIX.  399 

that  of  the  second  daughter  of  our  Royal  house.* 
From  the  first  she  gave  great  promise  of  beauty  and 
of  intelHgence.  The  fine  old  EngHsh  names  of  Alice 
and  Maud,  selected  for  her  by  her  happy  parents, 
seemed  as  names  sometimes  do,  to  be  particularly 
fitted  to  the  winning,  open  character  of  her  fair  and 
finely-formed  features,  and  their  sound  was  one  pleas- 
ant in  the  mouths,  not  only  of  those  to  whom  she 
was  known,  but  of  the  people,  as  she  grew  up  and  was 
seen  in  public  by  the  eager  and  kindly  eyes  to  whom 
the  sight  of  the  Royal  children  has  always  been  wel- 
come. 

When  the  marriage  of  the  Princess  Royal  took 
place  in  i858,  the  Princess  Alice  was  still  only  a  girl 
of  fifteen  ;  but  she  had  already  developed  qualities 
of  mind  and  heart  of  no  ordinary  kind.  She  came 
by  degrees  to  fill  up  in  some  measure  the  vacancy 
which  had  been  created  by  the  removal  of  her  very 
gifted  sister  to  Berlin.  Naturally  she  was  drawn 
nearer  to  the  Prince  Consort  ;  and  the  influence  of 
his  character  and  the  teachings  of  his  affectionate 
wisdom  sank  deeply  into  her  pure  and  highly  intel- 
lectual nature.  He  looked  forward  to  her  future 
with  the  assurance  that  she  would  prove  all  he  could 
wish  a  daughter  to  be.  She,  on  the  other  hand, 
loved  him  with  a  devotion  only  tempered  by  a  pro- 
found reverence  for  the  great  quaHties  which  she 
could  then,  perhaps,   but  dimly  appreciate,  but  the 

*  "  She  is  a  pretty  and  large  baby,  and  we  think  will  be  la  BcautJ  oi  the 
family." — The  Queen  to  King  Leopold,  9th  May,  1S43. 

"  Our  little  bahy,  whom  1  am  really  ])rou(l  of,  for  she  is  so  very  forward 
for  her  age,  is  to  be  called  Alice,  an  old  English  name  ;  and  the  other  names 
are  to  be  A/rtwr/ (another  old  English  name,  and  the  same  as  Matilda),  and 
A/ary,  as  she  was  born  on  Aunt  Gloucester's  birthday." —  The  same  to  the  same 
16th  May,  1843. 

"Our  christening  went  off  very  brilliantly,  and  I  wish  you  could  liave 
witnessed  it.  Nothmg  could  be  more  ansldndig,  and  little  Alice  behaved  ex- 
tremely well." —  'J he  same  to  the  same,  6ih  June,  1843. 


40O  PJiLVCESS  ALICE. 

true  extent  and  worth  of  which  her  own  subsequent 
experience  and  reflection  taught  her  more  thoroughly 
to  measure.  When  in  later  years  she  spoke  of  the 
Prince,  one  saw  that,  as  Ben  Jonson  said  of  Shake- 
speare, "  she  honored  his  memory,  on  this  side  idol- 
atry, as  much  as  any." 

The  teaching  of  that  beloved  father  was  put  to  the 
proof  in  those  sad  days  of  patient  watching  which 
preceded  his  death.  Things  were  told  at  the  time 
of  the  devotion  and  the  marvellous  self-control  of  the 
young  girl,  called  so  sternly  and  so  suddenly  to  face 
death  in  the  person  of  a  father,  on  whose  life  that  of 
the  Queen  herself  seemed  to  depend,  and  whose 
counsels  she  knew  to  be  of  inestimable  value  to  the 
nation.  A  few  days  after  the  Prince's  death,  she 
was  spoken  of  by  the  Times  in  these  noticeable 
•words  :  "  Of  the  devotion  and  strength  of  mind 
shown  by  the  Princess  Alice  all  through  these  trying 
scenes  it  is  impossible  to  speak  too  highly.  Her 
Royal  Highness  has,  indeed,  felt  that  it  was  her  place 
to  be  a  comfort  and  a  support  to  her  mother  in  her 
affliction,  and  to  her  dutiful  care  we  may  perhaps 
owe  it  that  the  Queen  has  borne  her  loss  with  ex- 
emplary resignation,  and  a  composure  which,  under 
so  sudden  and  terrible  a  bereavement,  could  not 
have  been  anticipated."  The  knowledge  of  this  fact 
— and  it  was  a  fact — sank  deeply  into  people's 
minds.  It  was  never  forgotten,  and  from  that  day 
the  name  of  the  Princess  Alice  has  been  a  cherished 
household  word  to  all  her  countrymen  and  women. 

When,  in  1862,  she  married  the  husband  of  her 
choice — a  man  whose  sterling  worth  and  manliness 
had  satisfied  even  the  critical  judgment  of  parents 
jealous  for  the  happiness  of  a  daughter  so  justly  dear 
— the  affectionate  good  wishes  of  the  Queen's  subjects 


APPENDIX.  ,  401 

of  all  grades  went  with  her  to  her  new  home.  In  that 
home,  brightene'd  and  ennobled  as  it  was  by  her  pres- 
ence, her  love  for  the  home  and  country  of  her  youth 
burned  with  a  steady  and  ever-deepening  glow.  It 
is  only  those  who  know  how  strong  is  the  mutual 
love  by  which  the  children  of  Queen  Victoria  are 
bound  to  their  parent  and  to  each  other,  who  can 
appreciate  the  passionate  yearning  toward  England 
of  the  Princesses  whose  homes  have  been  made 
elsewhere.  England  and  all  its  interests  held  a  fore- 
most place  in  the  heart  of  the  Princess  Alice  ;  and 
no  one  watched  more  closely  every  phase  of  the 
changeful  life  of  the  busy  land,  which  she  loved  and 
reverenced  as  the  home  of  liberty  and  the  pioneer  of 
civilization. 

While  fulfilling  with  exemplary  devotion  every 
duty  as  a  wife  and  mother,  the  process  of  self-culture 
was  never  relaxed.  Every  refined  taste  was  kept 
alive  by  fresh  study,  fresh  practice,  fresh  observa- 
tion ;  neither  was  any  effort  spared  to  keep  abreast 
with  all  that  the  best  intellects  of  the  time  were 
adding  to  the  stores  of  invention,  of  discovery,  of 
observation,  and  of  thought.  Each  successive  year 
taught  her  better  to  estimate  the  value  of  the  princi- 
ples in  religion,  in  morals,  and  in  politics  in  which 
she  had  been  trained.  As  her  knowledge  of  the 
world  and  of  men  grew,  she  could  see  the  wide 
range  of  fact  upon  which  they  were  based,  and  their 
fitness  as  guides  amid  the  perplexing  experiences  of 
human  life,  which,  however  seemingly  varied  in 
different  epochs,  are  ever  essentially  the  same. 
Then  the  significance  of  the  Prince  Consort's  habit 
of  judging  every  thing  by  some  governing  principle, 
and  working  always  by  strict  method,  became  clear 
to  her;  and  in  a  letter  written  in  January  1876,  of 


402  FJilNCESS  ALICE. 

which  a  copy  is  before  us,  the  Princess  writes  with 
her  accustomed  modesty :  "  Living  with  thinking 
and  cultivated  Germans,  much  in  Papa  has  explained 
itself  to  me,  which  formerly  I  could  less  understand, 
or  did  not  appreciate  so  much  as  I  ought  to  have 
done." 

She  inherited  much  of  her  father's  practical  good 
sense,  and,  like  him,  was  ever  ready  to  take  part  in 
any  well-directed  effort  for  raising  the  condition  of 
the  toilworn  and  the  poor.  How  much  of  their 
misery,  nay,  of  their  evil  ways,  was  due  to  their 
wretched  habitations,  she,  like  him,  felt  most  keenly  ; 
and  she  gave  her  sympathy  and  support  to  every 
effort  for  their  improvement.  With  this  view  she 
translated  into  German  some  of  Miss  Octavia  Hill's 
essays  "  On  the  Homes  of  the  London  Poor,"  and  pub- 
lished them  with  a  little  preface  of  her  own  (to  which 
only  her  initial  A.  was  affixed),  in  the  hope  that  the 
principles,  which  had  been  successfully  applied  in 
London  by  Miss  Hill  and  her  coadjutors,  might  be 
put  into  action  in  some  of  the  German  cities.  No 
good  work  appealed  to  her  in  vain.  The  great 
exemplar  of  her  father  was  always  before  her  ;  and 
in  the  letter  from  which  we  have  already  quoted  she 
speaks  of  his  life,  "  spent  in  the  highest  aims,  and 
with  the  noblest  conception  of  duty,"  as  a  •'  leading 
star  "  to  her  own. 

That  sense  of  duty  carried  her  to  the  bedside  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales  when,  at  the  end  of  1871,  he 
was  struck  down  at  Sandringham  by  the  fell  disease 
under  which  his  father  had  sunk.  There  she  fulfilled 
the  same  priceless  offices  which  she  had  ten  years 
before  discharged  at  Windsor  Castle.  It  pleased 
Heaven  to  spare  her  a  renewal  of  the  great  affliction 
of  1 86 1  ;  and  in  the  very  days  of  December  in  which 


APPEAWIX.  403 

we  are  now  living,  the  life  of  the  much-loved  brother, 
which  had  been  wellnigh  despaired  of,  came  slowly 
back  to  requite  her  affection,  and  in  answer  to  her 
prayers. 

The  trials  of  that  time  came,  before  the  exhaustion 
had  passed  away  both  of  body  and  mind  which  the 
Princess  had  undergone  during  the  Franco-German 
war.  Separated — and  for  the  second  time — by  war 
from  the  Prince  of  Hesse,  who  was  away  in  the 
thickest  of  the  perils  of  that  campaign,  she  was  not  a 
woman  to  give  herself  up  to  morbid  brooding  on  the 
pangs  and  apprehensions  under  which,  devoted  wife 
as  she  was,  she  yet  could  not  fail  to  suffer  most 
acutely,  for  her  feelings  were  warm,  and  her  imagina- 
tion active  beyond  that  of  most  women.  In  the  hos- 
pital at  Darmstadt,  crowded  with  the  soldiers,  French 
as  well  as  German,  who  had  come  from  the  battle- 
fields maimed  and  racked  with  pain,  she  was  foremost 
with  her  bright  intelligence,  her  helpful  sympathy, 
and  her  tender  hand,  in  soothing  pain,  and  inspiring 
that  sense  of  manly  gratitude  which  is  the  best  of 
panaceas  to  a  soldier's  sick-bed.  What  she  was  and 
what  she  did  at  that  time  have  embalmed  her  image 
in  many  a  heart,  and  will  make  the  tears  flow  thick 
and  fast  in  many  manly  eyes  at  the  thought  of  the 
death  of  one  so  young,  so  good,  so  gifted,  and  so 
fair.  To  her  it  was  merely  duty — duty  to  be  done 
at  every  cost  ;  but  how  much  it  had  cost  to  that 
finely  touched  spirit  and  to  that  delicate  womanly 
frame  might  be  read,  by  all  who  could  look  below 
the  surface,  in  the  deep  earnestness  of  her  eyes  and 
the  deeper  earnestness  of  her  thoughts.  The  pain 
of  that  terrible  period  would  not  let  itself  be  forgot- 
ten even  in  the  gratitude  which  she  felt  for  the 
providence   which    restored    her    beloved    husband 


404  FJilJVCESS  ALICE. 

to  her  side,  and  for  the  realization  of  her  father's 
cherished  dream  of  an  United  Germany,  which  had 
been  purchased  by  the  valor  and  the  sufferings  of 
its-sons. 

The  Princess'  fortitude  had  already  been  severely 
tried  in  the  war  between  Prussia  and  Austria  in  1866. 
Hesse- Darmstadt  was  engaged  upon  the  side  of 
Austria,  and  her  husband,  Prince  Louis,  took  the 
field  with  the  troops  of  the  Principality.  At  the  very 
time  that  his  third  daughter,  the  Princess  Irene,  was 
born,  he  was  with  the  army  ;  and  the  Princess  Alice 
knew  he  was  under  fire  but  was  unable  to  get  any 
tidings  from  him.  The  victorious  Prussians  marched 
into  Darmstadt,  while  the  Princess,  newly  made  a 
mother,  was  still  confined  to  her  room. 

Of  the  sad  aspects  of  life  it  had  been  her  destiny 
to  see  much — as  daughter,  as  sister,  and  as  mother. 
In  June,  1873,  a  terrible  calamity  fell  upon  her  as 
a  mother.  A  child — one  especially  beloved — climb- 
ing to  an  open  window  in  a  room  adjoining  that  in 
which  she  was,  lost  its  balance,  and  was  killed 
almost  before  her  eyes,  as  she  rushed  in  terror  to 
call  him  back.  This,  too,  had  to  be  borne.  It  was 
borne  nobly,  and  with  Christian  resignation.  But 
such  shocks  tell  upon  the  vital  powers,  and  some 
trace  of  what  had  been  "  undergone  and  overcome  " 
seemed  to  be  visible  long  afterward  in  a  perceptible 
bodily  languor,  and  in  a  more  spiritual  beauty  which 
had  passed  into  her  expressive  face. 

The  thought  of  this  sent  an  anxious  thrill  through 
the  hearts  of  many,  when  it  became  known  that  the 
Princess  was  herself  seized  by  the  terrible  malady 
which  had  prostrated  her  husband  and  five  of  her 
children,  and  taken  from  her  the  youngest  of  them 
all — the  youngest,  the  brightest,  the  idol  of  her  other 


APPENDIX.  405 

children.*  She  had  nursed  them  all  through  their 
time  of  danger,  and  now,  spent  with  watching  and 
anxiety  as  she  was,  the  malady  had  laid  its  fatal 
clutch  upon  herself.  She  that  had  cared  and  thought 
for  all  was  soon  past  all  human  care  to  save.  Thus 
she  died  as  she  had  lived,  devoted,  self-sacrificing, 
purified  by  great  pain  and  great  love — a  model 
daughter — wife — mother. 

Of  the  loss  of  such  a  woman  to  the  husband 
to  whom  she  was  the  all-in-all,  to  the  children 
to  whose  love  she  will  respond  no  more,  to  the 
mother  in  whose  thoughts  she  is  interwoven  with 
the  sweetest,  the  saddest,  the  most  sacred  memories, 
to  the  brothers  and  sisters  whom  she  loved  and  who 
loved  her  so  truly,  so  tenderly,  who  dare  trust  him- 
self to  speak  ?  It  must  be  long  before  the  grief  can 
be  assuaged,  undej  which  all  these  must  now  be 
suffering — before  the  "  Idea  of  her  life  can  sweetly 
creep,"  as  something  hallowed,  "  into  their  study  of 
imagination"  ;  but  the  day  will  come  when  they  will 
bless  God,  that  theirs  was  a  wife,  a  daughter,  a 
sister,  a  mother,  so  good,  so  noble,  and  that,  having 
fought  her  fight  on  earth  valiantly,  yet  meekly,  she 
has  gone  where  there  is  no  more  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
and  where  the  great  mysteries  of  life  alone  find  their 
solution.  Theodore  Martin. 


Of  the   many  beautiful   tributes   in   verse   to  the 
worth  of  the   Princess,  which  appeared  in  England 

*  The  struggle  to  conceal  from  the  other  children  that  their  favorite  was 
dead  cost  the  I'rincess,  down  to  the  time  of  her  own  fatal  seizure,  such  a 
daily  and  almost  hourly  effort  as,  in  her  weak  state,  she  was  ill  able  to  bear. 
Her  sufferings  during  her  short  illness,  which  lasted  less  than  a  week,  were 
borne  with  exemplary  patience,  and  an  unselfish  and  even  cheerful 
spirit  which  were  truly  admirable.  The  day  before  she  died,  she  expressed 
to  Sir  William  Jenner  her  regret  that  she  should  cause  her  mother  so  much 
anxiety. 


466  PRINCESS  ALICE. 

immediately  after  her  death,  none  spoke  the  prevail- 
ing feeling  more  truly  than  the  following  : — 

IN   MEMORIAM. 
Princess  Alice:   </m/ December  14th,  1878. 

Death's  shadow  falls  across  the  Palace  door, 
His  fingers  trace  our  dear  Princess'  doom  ; 

"She  will  awake  no  more  ;   ah  !  never  more  !  " 
And  through  the  murky  night  the  big  bells  boom. 

But  in  the  gray  of  morning  hope  appears, 

And  treading  in  death's  footprints  entrance  seeketh 

Where  lonely  grief  is  weeping  bitter  tears, 

And  whispers  low — "  She  being  dead  yet  speaketh." 

And  at  the  voice  of  hope  the  black  clouds  break, 

And  through  the  rift  there  shines  God's  glorious  light ; 

And  we  who  mourn  look  up  and  solace  take 

As  those  to  whom  comes  day — dawn  after  night. 

"She  being  dead  yet  speaketh  " — all  may  hear 

The  message  left  us  by  her  lovely  life 
In  deeds  that  live,  in  actions  that  endear. 

As  Princess,  sister,  daughter,  mother,  wife  ! 

The  fierce  rude  light  that  beats  upon  a  throne 

For  which  so  many  royal  heads  are  hid, 
Served  but  to  make  her  worth  more  widely  known, 

To  glorify  the  acts  of  grace  she  did. 

A  favorite  sister !  She  the  love  had  earn'd 

Her  brothers  and  her  sisters  for  her  felt, 
By  her  devotion  which  had  brightest  burn'd 

When  with  disease  and  threatening  death  she  dealt. 

A  darling  daughter  !  'T  is  the  Queen  alone 

Can  know  the  secret  of  that  awful  time. 
When  at  the  father's  side  by  her  were  shown 

A  faith  and  constancy  alike  sublime. 


APPENDIX.  40' 

A  doting  mother  !  What  could  she  do  more 
Than  for  her  little  one  her  life  lay  down  ? 

No  heroine  than  this  could  higher  soar — 
No  grander  deed  a  noble  life  could  crown  ! 

A  perfect  wife  !  The  heavy  veil  of  grief 

Back  from  the  stricken  hearth  we  will  not  draw, 

Save  but  to  say  her  life,  alas  !   too  brief. 

Her  husband  found  without  one  spot  or  flaw. 

Then  let  not  grief  persuade  us  she  is  dead  ; 

She  has  but  left  us  for  a  fairer  shore  ; 
And  though  her  spirit  heav'nwards  may  have  fled, 

Her  influence  remains  for  evermore. 

—  Truth 


sn; 


or 

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